Somewhere off the Coast of Nowhere
by Megs-3
Summary: Relationships, friendships, ups and downs in a place that was slowly becoming home to the survivors of Flight 815 JackKate, CharlieClaire, SawyerAna, SunJin, HurleyLibby, ShannonSayid, etc.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction. Actually, I only recently discovered what fanfiction is. It was – is - a great deal of fun to read and now I think I'll try my hand at writing some. If nothing else, it will give me some relief from the writing I do on a daily basis – which is mainly history and often fairly boring.**

**I am starting this with only a very basic plot in mind and no real agenda. We'll just see where it goes. I like to think it will involve lots of Jack-Kate, some Charlie-Claire, some Shannon-Sayid. Possibly some Sawyer-Kate, depending on my mood. I like drama and romance more than lots of suspense and violence, so we'll most likely go in that direction. Starting on-island, a few months after the crash. I am not following any particular episode or storyline – I'll probably bring in elements of several different ones. I am mainly just using the characters, – which, by the way, do not belong to me. Any similarities between this and other fanfics are certainly unintentional. No idea how long this will be – guess that depends on how much y'all like it!**

**Going ahead and rating this "M" because of my bad language tendencies and because I am sure hot, yummy sex will come into play somewhere**.

Finding time to be alone on the island was a rare thing indeed. It was hard to venture into the jungle for more than a few moments without someone coming to check on you. It wasn't a bad system, really. It was kind of nice knowing that people actually cared enough to worry about how you were faring.

Kate hadn't had anyone to look after her in a long time.

Kate jogged up the beach to Claire's shelter. She smiled as she got closer, hearing the familiar strains of Charlie's guitar as he played a soft lullaby for baby Aaron. How wonderful that Claire had finally given in and admitted her feelings for Charlie! The pair of them had been walking around in a blissful haze for the past two weeks, referring to one another as "mommy and daddy" in front of the baby and just about every other sickeningly sweet nickname one could possibly imagine to one another.

She stuck her head through the piece of fabric that served as a door. "Hey, guys," she said softly, trying not to disturb the baby.

"Hi, Kate," Charlie replied placing his guitar against a tree trunk and leaning back against his chair. "What's up?"

"Look, I am in desperate need for some alone time – which, as you know, is practically impossible around here," Kate told them.

"Don't we know it!" Claire laughed, scooting over into Charlie's open arms. He smiled and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"I'm going for a walk – a long, long walk," Kate told them. "I just wanted to tell someone where I was so no one would worry."

"Great – have fun and be careful," Claire said.

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Kate waved over her shoulder as she started up the beach. About fifty yards from Claire's shelter, she turned and headed into the jungle, oblivious to the pair of warm, brown eyes that so often followed her as she moved about the island.

Kate reveled in the time alone with her thoughts as she trekked though the dense foliage. Her life had changed so much over the course of the past few months. One minute she was in handcuffs on a plane to L.A., escorted by a federal marshal to almost certain jail time. The next minute she was laying in the sand, burning pieces of plane wreckage scattered all round her, the marshal nowhere in sight. One minute she was a prisoner, the next she was free.

Claire and Shannon often remarked that Kate actually seemed to enjoy life on the island. She generally just laughed this off, but her two friends had no idea how close to the truth their simple comments actually lay.

What was not to like? Kate pondered as she moved further into the jungle. They had food and water and shelter. They had medicines and other supplies. They even had entertainment – golf clubs, handheld video games, books.

It was more than that, though, Kate thought, stopping for a moment to catch her breath and retrieve her water bottle from her backpack. For the first time in several years, Kate finally felt free. She could move about without constantly looking over her shoulder. She could use her real name and let her hair remain its natural color. She could make friends without feeling guilt for constantly having to lie to them. She was actually glad that Sawyer had told everyone her secret. It was awkward at first, but these people – people who had only known her for a few months yet trusted her as the kind woman who was always there to help them – actually cared enough to ask her for her side of the story – and believed her when she told it.

There were other things, too, Kate admitted to herself as she replaced her water bottle and began moving again. Well, one other thing in particular. She smiled to herself as thoughts of Jack swirled into her head as they had been doing quite frequently over the past several weeks. Jack – so strong, so handsome, so brave. The kind of man who would never be interested in her – a common criminal – back in the real world. But here, Kate thought, here there were possibilities.

There were times when Kate thought that Jack might actually be attracted to her. He often asked her to accompany him on walks or to help him with his numerous patients. He smiled at her a lot and one time – she giggled at the memory – actually stared open-mouthed as he watched her emerge from a swim in the ocean, the water causing her tank top and shorts to cling to her body.

He had been shocked when he had discovered her past, Kate recalled, the smile leaving her face. Shocked and disappointed. He had listened to her explanation and said he believed her, but she had seen the look on his face. She knew she was a far cry from the type of woman he was usually attracted to – the delicate, pure ladies who made perfect doctors' wives. Kate laughed out loud as she imagined Dr. Jack Shephard escorting her to a hospital charity event. Would her rough speech be enough, or should she wear an orange jumpsuit to really hammer it in?

Kate was still mentally picturing the scene as she pushed some heavy foliage away to reveal a crystal-clear pool behind it. The water was deep and cold and perfect. She had discovered this spot weeks ago and now considered it hers. She looked around to make sure no one had followed her, then stripped down to her bra and panties and plunged into the cold water.

--------------------

Jack watched Kate slip into the jungle and wondered where she was going. He was often surprised at the way he kept track of her movements – it had become a very natural thing to him.

"Hey, Sayid," he called out to the man sitting with pretty blond Shannon by the ocean's edge. "I'm going to the caves for awhile." Sayid waved a hand in acknowledgement and turned his attention back to Shannon. Jack headed in the direction Kate had taken moments earlier.

God, it was great to be alone for a few minutes! Jack mused as he wandered through the jungle behind Kate. He loved being a doctor and was glad he was able to help the people on the island, but being a doctor here was vastly different from being a doctor in the real world. Here it was a twenty-four hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week job. No vacations, no time on-call. Just constant work, work, work.

Of course, the constant workload did have its advantages, he thought to himself, ducking down low as Kate stopped to sip from her water bottle. It kept him from going crazy with boredom and – more important – distracted him from the increasing frustration he felt every time he looked at Kate.

He had been shocked to discover her criminal status, he admitted to himself. Worse, he remembered, he had done a lousy job of covering it. Things hadn't quite been the same between them lately and he felt it was time to talk to her about it.

Jack had been attracted to Kate from the moment he saw her. She was beautiful, sure, but there was something else, something deeper. He felt like he could trust her – which, he supposed, was why he had felt betrayed when he had learned her secret. Betrayal – now that was something Jack Shephard was familiar with.

Jack stood from his crouching position as Kate started moving again. He waited a few minutes before starting to follow her again.

But she had come clean, he admitted, still following her. He hadn't waited around to hear what she had told the rest of them, but she had come to his shelter later that night and pleaded with him to let her get it all out in the open. So he listened. And he had believed her – although he had done a shitty job showing it. He was only human, after all.

Jack looked up and saw that Kate had vanished behind a dense curtain of leaves and vines. He took a deep breath and followed her.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack sucked in his breath at the sight of a nearly-nude Kate swimming in the deep blue pool of water. He stood transfixed for several moments until she turned to swim back to shore and caught a glimpse of his white shirt among the vines surrounding her private lagoon. Smiling inwardly, Kate stood chest-deep in the water and put on her best mad face.

"Jack Shephard!" she yelled. "What the hell are you doing here? Are you spying on me?"

Jack grimaced at being caught staring like a sixteen-year-old boy, then decided to face the music. He emerged fully from the foliage.

"Uh, sorry," he told her, looking everywhere but at her. "I was just taking a walk and…."

"And following me," Kate interrupted coolly.

"No! Well, yeah, kinda. I mean…" Jack attempted to stammer out an answer. Damn it! He was a grown man, for Christ's sake!

Suddenly Kate broke into a smile. "Relax, Jack, I'm just fucking with you. I'm glad you came. I've been wanting to show you this place for awhile now."

Jack immediately felt lighter at her playful tone. "Yeah, it's a great spot. How did you find it?"

"Just walking one day," she answered. "Hey, turn around for a sec." He grudgingly complied, feeling cheated as he heard the distinct sounds of her emerging from the water and wrapping a towel around herself. "Okay, I'm covered now," she told him.

"Confession time, Kate," Jack said, turning back around. "I, uh, actually did kinda follow you here."

"Why?" she asked him as she ran her fingers through her damp hair attempting to untangle it.

"Well, we haven't spent much time together over the past few weeks and I just…well, I kinda missed you and wanted some time to talk to you," he finished, wishing that it was his hands running through her hair rather than her own.

"Oh," she said quietly, not meeting his eyes.

"Is it okay?" Jack asked quickly, not wanting to upset her. "Are you mad that I followed you? Did you want to be alone?"

"It's okay," Kate said, smiling at Jack's fumbling attempts. "I mean, I did go for a walk to be alone, but if anybody was going to follow me, I'm glad it was you. Turn around again." Jack obliged. When he turned back toward her she had slipped back into her shorts and tank top.

"Listen, I brought some fruit and water," Jack told her. "Want to sit and rest awhile?" At Kate's nod, he reached into his pack and spread a small blanket on the ground.

Kate leaned back on her elbows and enjoyed to feeling of the warm sun on her bare legs. Jack stretched out beside her, propping himself up on one elbow to look at her.

"Kate, I owe you an apology…" he began, but Kate interrupted him.

"No, no, Jack, it's okay," she said. "I know that…"

"Hold on a sec," he held up a hand to her. "Just let me get this out, okay?" Kate nodded and closed her mouth. "I can't lie to you, Kate," Jack continued. "I've never been able to, not even when I think it is for your own good. So I can't sit here and tell you that I wasn't shocked by what you told me a few weeks ago. The reason I've been avoiding you is that I've been trying to sort everything out in my head and I've just needed time to…"

"What have you been trying to sort out?" Kate interrupted him again.

"Isn't it obvious, Kate?" Jack asked her. "My feelings for you, about you, about us."

"Us?" Kate asked in a soft voice, hardly able to believe that this was happening. "You think about us? What kind of an 'us'?"

"Come on, Kate, don't act all innocent with me," Jack pleaded. "You must know that I have feelings for you. I think I've made that pretty clear."

"No, Jack, actually you haven't," Kate replied. "I mean, there have been times when I thought that things might be moving in that direction for us, but something always seems to happen that widens the gap between us again."

"Like what?" Jack asked her, mystified by the way the conversation had turned.

"Like the night that we stayed up to watch over Claire when she had a fever," Kate replied. "I left for half an hour to walk to the beach and met Sawyer along the path. He was coming to check on Claire for Charlie since Charlie was staying with the baby and he walked back with me. When you saw us together, you turned away from me and didn't speak to me for two days."

"Yeah, but…" Jack tried to explain.

"I'm not finished," Kate said. "Or like when you saw me on the beach with my clothes all wet from swimming in the ocean. I saw you staring at me, Jack, and I assumed you liked what you saw. But then you turned and practically ran away from me and avoided me for days afterward."

Jack flopped down on his back and covered his eyes with his arm. How on earth could he respond to that? How could he tell her how much it hurt to see her walking up with Sawyer when he had just spent one of the best nights of his life – Claire's fever excluded – talking with her? How could he explain without completely unmanning himself that the sight of her dripping wet on the beach had made him so horny that he had to run into the jungle to keep his bulging erection a secret from the whole beach?

"Now, this," Kate continued after several moments of silence. "We got back to normal for awhile after the beach incident, then everything came out about my past. First of all, it killed me that you left me there alone in that group of people without waiting to hear what I had to say. Then I came to you to try and explain. Do you have any idea how hard that was for me? It took every ounce of strength I had to go to your tent that night. And then…"

"Kate, I listened to you when you came to me that night. I told you that I believed you," Jack interrupted.

"Yeah, you did," Kate said. "But that's not what your eyes told me. And that's not what your actions over the past two weeks have been telling me. I'm not stupid, Jack. I can tell that I'm somehow less in your eyes now. That because of something I did years and years ago – and something I did with good reason, as I tried to explain to you that night – I am not good enough for you anymore. I'm not pure."

"Oh, Kate," Jack said, unsure of how to proceed. He had so much to tell her, so much to get out. He admitted to himself that what she told him had changed the way he thought about her. But, Jesus, not enough to change the way he felt for her! He had been taken aback by the revelations, by the knowledge that her former life had been, in reality, so different from what he had been picturing in his increasingly constant daydreams about her. And, yeah, he didn't handle things well. But come on, give a guy a break! This was his life, his heart he was talking about. Didn't he deserve some time to think things through?

Kate took Jack's silence for stalling. "Look, Jack," she said, standing up and grabbing her backpack. "I came out here today to get away from all this, to clear my head a bit. I had thought that we could talk like adults about this…this…whatever this is between us. But I guess I'm not good enough, smart enough, pure enough to have a grown-up conversation with the great Dr. Shephard." With that, she flung her backpack over her shoulders and set off into the jungle.

"Kate, wait a minute!" Jack yelled as he scrambled up. "Kate, that's not what I meant at all. Kate, please come back so we can talk about this!"

The silence of the jungle was his only answer.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack walked slowly back to camp, using the time to collect his thoughts. Why did it always go wrong with her? He thought back to the incidents she'd mentioned to him earlier – and looking at them from her point of view, yeah, they didn't make him look like a super guy.

Okay, he could deal with that. He'd find her, apologize, and ask to start over. She liked him, he knew she did. Jack smiled to himself. Maybe he wouldn't be spending this night alone.

Jack was just about to step through the last of the jungle foliage and onto the beach when he felt a hand on his arm. He looked down and saw Claire looking at him sympathetically.

"Jack, can we talk for a minute?" she asked him.

"Claire, can it wait for a few minutes, please? I really need to find Kate," he told her.

"No, Jack, it's about Kate," she said firmly, taking his arm and leading him to a fallen tree. "Let's sit." Jack obliged.

"Claire, what's going on? Is Kate alright?" Jack asked, panic creeping into his voice.

"Calm down, she's fine," Claire told him. "It's just….well, she came through here a few minutes ago. She was crying, Jack. I've never seen her cry, not once since we've been here." She looked at him accusingly. He bit his lip and felt about two inches tall.

"She asked me to find you," Claire continued, "and tell you that she needed to be alone for awhile and to please respect that and not try to find her. She said she'll come to you when she's ready."

"Claire, where did she go?" Jack pleaded. "Please, you have to tell me. I need to talk to her now."

"No Jack," Claire said firmly. "I have to respect her wishes. I know where she's going and I know she's going to be alright." Her voice softened a little as she saw how miserable Jack was. "Jack, I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I am very sorry it is making both of you so unhappy. It will all work out, I promise."

Jack shook his head and stood up. "Thanks, Claire. I'll see you around."

Claire watched as Jack walked toward the beach and sighed. There was no one on this island that deserved to be together more than Jack and Kate, she thought as she made her way back to her shelter where Aaron lay sleeping. Why did they make it so difficult?

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Jack spent the next two days throwing himself into his work. Hell, it had always worked back home. His days were spent looking after patients, his nights in a restless sleep as dreams and visions of Kate sped through his mind.

On the third day after his royally fucked up encounter with Kate, Sun approached him.

"Jack, you're working too hard," she said firmly. "You're starting to make mistakes."

"Wha…" he asked her, giving her a confused look.

"Jack, you just tried to give a laxative to someone who came in with a broken toe!" Sun said, exasperated. He grimaced as he saw that she was indeed right.

"Look, Jack, I can handle things for a little while," Sun said soothingly. "Go away. Go for a walk. Go sleep. Go play. Whatever. Just go!"

"Okay, fine," he said sulkily, though secretly relieved at her suggestion. "Yell if you need me." Sun nodded and Jack turned toward the beach.

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Jack met up with Hurley and Walt on his way to the beach and the three settled into a game of makeshift Frisbee. Jack found himself loosening up and actually enjoying the game and the company. He jumped high to catch a misguided throw from Walt, laughing as he missed it and fell to the ground spectacularly. Still smiling, he turned to get the missed Frisbee…and saw Kate coming out of Sawyer's shelter, her shirt buttoned crookedly, her face flushed, and the very definite beginnings of a passion mark on her neck.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack stared at her, unbelieving. She staggered along a bit before looking up and meeting his eyes.

"Jack!" Kate called urgently. "Jack, please, wait…" He lifted both hands in a universal "hold it" signal and backed away from her. "Jack, please!" she pleaded. But he was already moving away.

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Sawyer chose that moment to emerge from his shelter, barely moving fast enough to catch Kate as she stumbled to the ground.

"Whoa, Freckles," he huffed, dragging her body to a sitting position on the warm sand. "Anyone ever tell you you're a lousy drunk?"

"He saw, Sawyer," she said quietly. "Jack saw me coming out of your tent."

Sawyer saw the sad look wash over her face and chose not to make a smart-ass remark. "Yeah, I kinda figured when I saw him hot-footin' it down the beach," he replied.

Kate looked over at him. "Sawyer, what happened last night?" she asked, truly mystified. "Why was I in your tent? How did I get so drunk? Did we…." A horrified look replaced the sadness on her face.

"Relax, Freckles," Sawyer assured her. "We didn't, although not for lack of trying on your part. Damn, girl, you're persistent when you set your mind to something."

Kate buried her face in her hands.

"Aw, calm down, Kate," Sawyer said, using her real name for once. "It ain't what you think. Let me tell you what really happened…"

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Jack was perched on a rock jutting out off the beach a few miles away from the camp. He wasn't quite sure how he'd wound up there. He remembered seeing Kate coming out of Sawyer's shelter and moving towards him. He remembered the horrible feelings of hurt and betrayal he had felt. He had just started running, running, anything to get away from her as if distance could erase the pain.

"Hey, Doc," a slow Southern accent interrupted his thoughts. Jack turned to see Sawyer moving up behind him.

"You son of a bitch," Jack growled leaping off the rock. He grabbed Sawyer's shirtfront and delivered a sharp right-hook directly into the other man's jaw before he could turn away.

Sawyer fell to the ground rubbing his jaw. "Alright, Doc, I'm gonna give you that one seeing as how I know what that scene this morning must have looked like to you. But if you ever hit me again I'm gonna take you down."

"What the hell are you talking about, Sawyer?" Jack panted, discreetly rubbing his sore fist.

"Jackass, you think I came all this way after you to gloat?" Sawyer asked, getting to his feet.

"Knowing you, yeah, I'd definitely believe it," Jack replied.

"Look, Doc, if anything had happened between me and Freckles, I'd still be in my tent basking in the afterglow, know what I mean? Following you two miles down the beach would not be at the top of my list," Sawyer grinned.

"So why did you come?" Jack asked, settling back down on his rock. Sawyer plopped down on the sand beside him.

"To tell you what really happened," Sawyer answered.

"Sawyer, I really don't want to hear…" Jack began.

"Just listen, Jack, okay?" Sawyer interrupted. "So Freckles – Kate – stumbled into my tent last night. Man, she was already three sheets – I never shoulda told her where I hid the booze. Anyway, I hadn't seen her in a few days and was curious as to what she'd been up to. Moping around over you, as it turned out, but that's another story." He shifted his position on the sand. "So we broke out more booze and got to talking. She told me about what happened at the lagoon, where she'd been, a bunch of stuff. We got pretty drunk, Jack. Few hours later, we were practically incoherent. I guess we passed out. I woke up a while later with her pressed up against me. My movements woke her up and she started kissing me."

Sawyer stopped and looked at Jack. "Jack, I ain't gonna lie to you, man. I kissed her back. I thought…well, I thought she was sober enough to know what she was doing. And it's been awhile for me, so… that mark on her neck? Yeah, that was me."

Jack turned away from Sawyer. "You think we might be able to skip this part?"

"Hey, man, just telling it like it is. Anyway," Sawyer continued, "we were fooling around and she started moaning a little bit. Good right?" Jack glared at him. "Only not so good. When things heated up a little more, she started talking. Girl's vocal, I'll tell ya that."

"Sawyer…" Jack said threateningly.

"Just thought you might like to know. So we were getting into it and she started calling out a name. Only – much as I hate admitting this to you, pal – it wasn't my name." Jack looked up sharply. "Yeah, it was yours."

Jack looked at Sawyer, torn between wanting to believe him and yet still remembering Kate's appearance when she had stumbled out of his shelter earlier that morning.

"Look, Doc, I know how it musta looked to you this morning," Sawyer said, as though he could read Jack's thoughts. "But after that little episode, all we did was sleep. I'm telling you the truth, man." He stopped and grinned slightly. "I'm into the vocalization and shit but being called by another guy's name is definitely not on my list of turn-ons. 'Specially when the name I'm being called belongs to somebody like you."

Jack held up a hand to stop Sawyer. "Look, not to make light of this noble gesture thing you've got going on right now, but why, Sawyer? Why are you telling me all this? So she happened to say my name when she was drunk out of her mind, but I can't really get past the fact that it was you she was fooling around with when she said it. She came to you last night, Sawyer, not me. Looks to me like she made her choice right there." He looked out toward the ocean.

"You're wrong about that, pal," Sawyer said quietly. "She came to me to talk – as a friend, Jack, nothing more."

"And she couldn't come talk to me?" Jack asked, hating to sulky tone his voice took.

"Not about that, not right then," Sawyer answered him. "Look, Jack, Freckles is complicated. She's what we call in my circle 'damaged.' She's been through a lotta shit in her lifetime. It's made her what she is. It's made her strong, a survivor, which is part of what you love about her, I guess." Sawyer paused. "But it's also given her a sack full of issues to cope with."

"But wha…" Jack began.

Sawyer shook his head. "Nope, man, they're her issues, not mine. If you decide you want to be with her, then you're gonna have to figure them out for yourself and how to deal with them." He stopped and looked directly at Jack. "I'll tell ya this, though, pal. Kate doesn't think she's good enough for you. She thinks her past makes her unworthy of someone like you. But if you ever want this to work out, you'd better realize that she's worth ten of you, ten of me, ten of anyone I've ever known."

"Let me ask you something, Sawyer," Jack said. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doin' what?"

"Telling me all this, giving me advice about Kate. I mean, doesn't that go directly against your own interests?" Jack asked him.

Sawyer shrugged. "Maybe once it would have. She's hot – in every possible way, as I realized last night – kidding, man!" he said as Jack moved toward him with his fist raised. "Geez. Look, Freckles and I are too much alike. Similar backgrounds, similar stories. Both running – although, truth be told, I think you're doing a fair bit of running yourself, there, Doc." He paused, blew out a breath. "Anyway, yeah, I was attracted to her for awhile. But she made her decision a good while ago – and she didn't pick me. I dealt with that, got over it. Now you have to deal with the fact that you're the one she did pick." He moved directly in front of Jack and looked him straight in the eyes. "And here's my final say. Don't fuck it up with her. I don't know what you have in your other life but I can guaren-damn-tee you that you don't have – and never will have – anything as good as her." He turned and started back up the beach.

"Hey, Sawyer!" Jack called out.

Sawyer turned and looked back at Jack, one hand shading his eyes from the sun. "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Sawyer looked at Jack for a long moment. "Doc, I did it for her, not you. Now deal with it."


	5. Chapter 5

Several miles away, Kate was sitting on a similar rock staring at the ocean. The sinking feeling in her stomach got deeper and deeper every time she remembered the look on Jack's face that morning. Why, why, why had she been so stupid?

"You look like you could use a friend." The soft melodic voice came from behind her. Kate turned around to see Rose standing there.

"Hi, Rose," she said, attempting to inject some measure of cheer in her voice.

"Mind if I sit with you?" Rose asked, moving toward the rocks. Kate gave a consenting gesture with her hand.

"You know, Kate, everyone makes mistakes," Rose told her as she settled on the rocks beside Kate.

"Yeah, well, I made a fairly large one this morning," Kate replied. "Actually it's all one huge mistake that started pretty much the day the plane crashed on this island."

"Kate, dear, whatever are you talking about?" Rose asked, concerned by the desperation evident in Kate's voice.

"I don't know. It's just…well, just that maybe this morning wasn't a mistake after all, now that I think about it." Jack's face seared into her thoughts. "Maybe it was the best thing that could have happened. I think I ruined things forever with Jack and maybe….maybe it's for the best."

"Oh, Katie," Rose said, desperately wanting to reach out and hug the now-sobbing girl.

"No, really," Kate continued, tears falling freely. "I mean, he won't forgive me for what I did…I mean, well… I didn't really do anything but he'll never know that. He won't forgive what he thinks he saw and things can never go back to what they were…what they were becoming," she finished, crying harder.

"How in the world could that be the best thing?" Rose asked, reaching for Kate's hand and taking it into her own larger one.

"Because," Kate gulped, trying to control her tears. "Because I'm not…I'll never be good enough for him, Rose. I might be good enough for him now, on this island, but I'd never be able to become a part of his life back in the real world. I'd never be a good doctor's wife. He's so…he's so amazing, Rose. He's smart and caring and just so good. I don't think Jack has a selfish bone in his body. I'm nothing…I grew up on a farm, I have no family, no money, no connections…I'm just a common criminal."

"Kate, there's nothing common about you," Rose said firmly. "And all those things you said about Jack – that he's smart and caring and good – those are all things that everyone on this island thinks about you as well." She held up a hand as Kate started to interrupt her. "No, wait. I think you're doing Jack a grave disservice, Katie. You're vastly underestimating him. I'll wager that he doesn't give a hoot about your past, other than hating that it causes you pain."

Kate gave the older woman a look as if to say _what could you possibly know about it_?

Rose gave an indignant sniff. "Kate, do you think my life has been an easy one? I married a white man at a time when those things simply weren't done. You think you're the authority on not being good enough? Try being a black woman in the 1960s attempting to fit into the white world of her husband's family. Try being an interracial couple searching for a home." She stopped and took a breath. "But Kate, if the love is there then nothing – nothing – is insurmountable. I've seen the way you and Jack look at one another. It's enough, Kate, believe me, it's enough."

Kate bit her lip and stared out at the pounding waves.

"One more thing, Kate," Rose said, getting to her feet. "Not that I don't pray for our rescue every single day, but this is our life for now, this island, these people. Live one day at a time, Kate. If you go into this relationship with Jack constantly worrying about what might happen when and if we make it back then you're going to miss out on a great deal of happiness in this life." She turned to go. "I think you've got company," she added over her shoulder, gesturing to Sawyer coming up the beach towards them.

-----------------

"Hey, Freckles, what's shakin'?" Sawyer greeted her.

"Sawyer, what happened to your eye?" Kate cried, noticing immediately the black bruise that was forming over his swollen left eye.

"Oh, I…uh…well, I ran into a fist," he finished lamely.

"Jack's?" Kate asked, dreading the answer.

Sawyer nodded in confirmation. "Oh, Sawyer, why?" Kate asked despairingly.

"Though he deserved the truth about what happened last night," Sawyer said nonchalantly, shoving Kate over to take a seat beside her on the flat rock.

"And?" Kate asked holding her breath.

"Frecks, don't push it. I ain't playing cupid no more. I told him what happened. I've told you what happened since your drunk ass don't remember any of it and now I've told you that I told him what happened. All parties involved are in possession of all the facts. Damn, y'all are 'bout the most hardheaded people I've ever known in my life!" Sawyer blew out his breath exasperatingly.

Kate looked at Sawyer questioningly. "Why, Sawyer?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you doing this?" she asked him.

He rolled his eyes skyward. "Lord, but the pair of y'all are meant to be. Your precious Jackass asked me that same question. Look," he said, giving Kate a serious look. "You've helped me out of a few rough spots since we've been here. No secret that I wanted in your pants when we first met, but, well, things have changed some, I guess. Now that we're friends, it would just be…well, weird and just not something I'm really into anymore. And sorry, but your calling out another guys name when we were kissing last night really sealed the deal. Not my style, chica."

Kate grinned at him. "So…we're friends?"

Sawyer cringed a little at the intimate moment. "Well, we're getting there, Freckles."

Kate jumped down off the rock feeling better than she had in days.

"Oh, Frecks?" Sawyer called her back over to the rock outcrop. "He said you'd know where to find him." He gave her a wink and stretched out for a well-deserved nap on the warm rock.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Hot, yummy sex coming soon, y'all, I promise! Gotta set the stage first!**

**--------------------**

It took Kate longer than usual to make her way back to the lagoon. She knew that was the place Jack would chose for this….this…well, whatever this was. Her nervousness caused her to trip several times, yet she still arrived at the vine curtain much too soon for her nervous stomach's sake.

"Okay, Kate, you can do this," she coached herself in a whisper as she moved to push the vines out of the way. Once through, she saw Jack sitting with his back to her, his eyes trained on the blue water. He turned when he heard her movements.

"Hey," he said, looking up at her, one hand shading his eyes from the glare of the sun.

"Hey back," she replied, trying hard not to cringe at the corniness of her reply. She slid off her backpack and laid it on the ground.

"Kate, I…" Jack began.

"Jack, I…" Kate started at the same time.

They both smiled in relief that the awkwardness was abating. Jack grabbed Kate's hand and pulled her down into a sitting position beside him. He turned to face her.

"Me first," he said. Kate nodded, waiting. "Right, well, I still don't know what happened here the other day. I was trying…ah, I thought I was trying to tell you that I think I've fallen in love with you, Kate. No, wait," he said, seeing her mouth open to interrupt him. "I know things hadn't gone exactly smoothly up until that point, which is why I followed you in the first place – to sort everything out. I was ready, Kate, ready to move things to the next level. I don't know, maybe I'm not so good at speaking that kind of language, but I thought I was telling you that I wanted to be with you…for us to be together. You seemed to interpret things differently, though." He stopped, drew in a deep breath. "So, yeah, that's it, basically. I'm in love with you, Kate. I guess I have been since the day I met you. I don't give a damn who you were before we landed here. I only care about the person you've been since…the smart, sweet, funny, sexy woman who, against all odds, has made me feel like I'm ready to be a part of something special again." Jack finished quietly, with Kate having to strain her ears to hear the last part.

"Oh, Jack," Kate trailed off helplessly, not knowing quite what to say.

"There's more," Jack said. "Everything you said yesterday…you were right. I always want to be honest with you, Kate, and I'm going to be now. The day I saw you coming out of the ocean with your clothes clinging to you? I had to run off before I completely embarrassed myself in front of the whole beach." He stopped and looked indignant when Kate began giggling. "Yeah, well, what'd ya expect? Stop. Stop laughing at me, Kate!" Jack ordered when her giggles became helpless laughter.

Kate made a valiant effort to control her laughter. "Sorry, it's just that…well, that was not what I was expecting at all."

"Yeah, yeah, well, just wait 'til I catch you in a humiliating situation one day," he growled.

"And the rest?" Kate asked quietly, her laughter controlled.

"About Sawyer?"

"Yes, about Sawyer and the other…what I told you," she said, not meeting his eyes.

"Kate, look at me," Jack ordered, taking her chin in his hand and lifting her face. "Kate, I love you and seeing you with Sawyer hurts, okay? We spent a great night together talking and laughing and you disappear and come back with the one person I feel is my…well, my competition for you."

"But he's not…" Kate began her protests.

"I'm beginning to realize that now, Kate, although it's only fair for me to tell you that I'm never going to be comfortable with you spending time with him," Jack told her.

Kate looked at him sharply. "If you think you are going to keep me from my friends…" she began.

"I didn't say that," Jack placated her. "I said I would never be comfortable with it. I'm a jealous person, Kate. You think you've got baggage? Well, I do, too. When you've been betrayed once, it's not an easy thing to forget…or to forgive."

"Yeah, well, I'm not her," Kate said defensively.

"And I'm not him," Jack shot back.

"Him who?" Kate asked, a confused look on her face.

"Him whoever, Kate. All the hims. Whoever has made you so distrustful and fearful of me," Jack told her.

"Oh, Jack, if you only knew…" Kate trailed off.

"No, I don't want to know. I don't care. It doesn't matter, just like Sarah doesn't matter anymore. Who knows, Kate? Maybe this island is really a blessing in disguise. We all have a chance to start over. I want to start over with you and I'm asking you right now if you feel the same way." Jack looked at her expectantly.

"Yes," Kate said after a short pause.

"Yes….yes what?" Jack prodded gently.

"Yes, I want to be with you, Jack. Yes, I am in love with you. Yes to everything," Kate told him, tears in her eyes.

Jack moved towards her and grasped her shoulders. "Are you sure, Kate? Really sure? Because this isn't a joke to me. If you want to be with me, really want to be with me, I swear I will love you more than any woman's every been loved. But if this is just a whim and you think you'll change your mind next week…" he trailed off.

"No, Jack, I'm sure," Kate told him, both frightened and exhilarated by the serious look on his face. Someone must have hurt him terribly, she thought. "But you have to promise me something, too."

"Anything."

"Promise me that we'll take this – whatever this is – as it comes," she said, thinking back to Rose's words on the beach that morning. "That we'll take it one day at a time. That we'll not think about what might happen when we leave here."

"I can live with that," Jack whispered, taking her face into his hands. He stroked her cheek with his finger, leaving Kate breathless with anticipation. This is it, she thought, leaning towards him, her lips slightly parted. She closed her eyes…and felt Jack suddenly pull away from her and drop his hands to his sides.

"Jack?" she said questioningly, opening her eyes to stare at him in disbelief.

"I, uh, I…Kate, there's something I have to take care of first," he said in a rush, turning away from her.

"Jack, wha…?" Kate blinked back tears. Jack's heart was torn by the look on her face.

"No, no, Kate," he said hurriedly. "It's just…aw, Kate, please just trust me. Please? I just need a few hours. Can you please do this for me?"

"I…yes, I trust you," Kate said, her voice shaky.

"Thank you," Jack said, moving toward the vine curtain. "Okay, just stay here for awhile, then go and find Claire in a few hours. She'll explain everything. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes," Kate said.

"Good," Jack said as he set off into the jungle at a jog. He only had a few hours to plan everything.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack jogged along the jungle path that led back to the beach. He was almost there when collided with a figure just reemerging onto the path.

"Ooofff," the figure grunted, the wind knocked out of her.

"Oh, god, sorry, my fault, I didn't see…Claire?" Jack asked, recognizing her finally.

"Who else?" the Australian woman asked, straightening up.

"I'm so sorry, Claire, I really didn't see you," Jack told her. She waved her hand as if to say _no matter_ and turned back toward the beach.

"Actually, Claire, I was hoping I'd run into you…well, not literally, but I wanted to talk to you," Jack told her, matching her stride.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Uh, well, I just left Kate at the lagoon and…" Jack began.

"Wait, you and Kate?" Claire interrupted, her eyes sparkling. "Are you and Kate…?"

Jack turned red and gave a slight nod. "Yeah, I think so."

Claire squealed, throwing her arms around Jack, who hugged her back. "I am so happy for you guys! I knew this was going to happen…even though the pair of you are stubborn as mules sometimes! When, where, tell me, tell me, tell me!" she demanded.

"Claire, I don't really have the time right now and besides, I know Kate will tell you everything anyway," Jack said, grinning. "Listen, I want to plan a nice evening with Kate and I need to go find Sayid and Locke. Can you do something for me?"

"Sure," she told him, still exhilarated by the news.

"Kate will be back in a little while. Can you tell her to come back to the lagoon about seven o'clock?" Jack asked.

"What lagoon?" Claire asked him, intrigued.

"Nevermind, she'll know," Jack told her. "Can you do this for me?"

"Of course, Jack," Claire said.

"Thanks, " Jack said, ruffling her hair as they reached the beach and split off into different directions. "I owe you."

"You owe me nothing except to be happy," Claire told him as she ran lightly towards her own shelter.

-----------------

"Charlie!" Claire exclaimed once she got inside. Her shouts startled him up from his nap and he glanced quickly over at where Aaron asleep in his crib.

"Jesus, Claire, do ya know how long it took me to get him down?" Charlie asked in slight annoyance, rocking the cradle slightly, hoping to lull the baby back into his sleeping rhythm.

"Sorry," Claire said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Listen, thanks for doing that, by the way. I really needed to be away for awhile."

"No prob…" Charlie began, the looked at her sharply. "Wait a sec. Your stubborn little ass never apologizes to me that quickly," he teased her. "What do you really want?"

"Oh, Charlie," Claire began breathlessly. "You'll never believe…Jack and Kate! Jack and Kate!"

"What about Jack and Kate?" he asked, confused.

"They're together! Finally!" Claire was rummaging around her clothing bin now.

"Really?" The news made Charlie smile. "'Bout bloody time, I'd say. What does it have to do with you, though?"

"Jack is planning a romantic evening for her. He asked me to watch out for her and tell her to go to this place that's apparently some secret of theirs at seven o'clock. But…" Claire dragged off as she sifted through the few necklaces in the small wooden bowl that served as her jewelry box.

"But what?" Charlie asked, settling back down onto their bed.

"What? Oh," Claire continued. "So I was going to help her get a little dressed up. Come on, don't look at me like that!" she exclaimed at Charlie's eye rolling. "It's their first date! Anyway, I need to go find Shannon and ask if she'll help, then we need to watch out for Kate. Can you watch Aaron for a few more hours?"

"If it'll make you happy," Charlie said grudgingly, although he never minded spending time alone with the baby, who he was quickly beginning to consider his own.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Claire said, bending down to give him a quick kiss before leaving the shelter with her arms full of clothing.

"Women," Charlie muttered before shutting his eyes again.

-------------------

Meanwhile, Jack had made his way over to Sayid's shelter, surprised to finding the tall Iraqi alone. He was usually with Shannon these days. Jack dropped down onto the sand beside him.

"And what is making you so happy today, my friend?" Sayid asked, though he was quite sure he knew what the answer was going to be.

"Well, Kate and I…" Jack stooped, unsure of what to say.

"I see," Sayid said, needing no further explanation. "Well, you've settled quite a few bets around here, I'd say," he told Jack teasingly. "I am very happy for you both."

"Thanks. Look, do you still have those torch candles you made when you did that picnic on the beach for Shannon a few weeks ago?" Jack asked, his face flaming.

"Of course," Sayid said, getting to his feet. "Would you like them?"

"If you don't mind," Jack said, grateful that Sayid rarely needed full explanations.

"No problem, Jack," Sayid said, disappearing into his shelter. "Let me get them for you."

-------------------

His arms full of the torches, Jack walked a little ways into the jungle before spotting Locke sitting on a fallen tree trunk sharpening his knife.

"John, can I ask something of you?" Jack asked him, laying the torched on the ground.

"Sure, Jack," Locke said, sheathing his knife.

Jack took a small piece of driftwood weathered to a beautiful light gray color from his pocket. "You can use a knife better than anyone here. Could you possibly carve this for me?"

"I'm sure I could," Locke replied. "What do you want carved?"

Jack colored slightly. He knew that soon the whole beach would know about his upcoming date with Kate. "A rose."

Locke raised his eyebrows. "Sure, I can do that. You want me to carve a name in it or anything? The date maybe?" His eyes were dancing.

Jack grinned at him. "That would be nice. I think you know what name, and today's date will do." Locke gave him a mock salute with the piece of wood.

"I'll get it to you in an hour," John told him, reaching for his knife again and setting to work.

"Thanks, John," Jack said, picking up the torches and setting off again.

-------------------

Kate had just appeared back on the beach when two people rushed at her, their arms full of clothing, shoes, and accessories.

"Kate!" Shannon squealed, grabbing her arm with her free hand. Claire grabbed her other arm.

"What's going on, guys?" Kate asked, mystified by their behavior.

"We know, Kate!" Clair exclaimed impatiently.

"Know what?" Kate said innocently, not able to keep the grin from spreading across her face.

"Don't tease, Kate!" Shannon said threateningly. "Anyway, I'll bet we know something _you_ don't!"

"What's that?" Kate asked.

"That you've got about an hour to get ready for your first date with Jack!" Claire told her triumphantly.

"A date?" Kate asked, dumbfounded. _So that's what he's been doing!_

"Yes, a date," Shannon said impatiently. "You have to meet Jack at the lagoon at seven o'clock. So let's get moving!" Shannon and Claire resumed their movements and led Kate towards Shannon's shelter. After a few half-hearted protests, Kate joined in their giggling and planning, happier than she'd been in a long time.

-------------------

At seven o'clock that evening, Kate stood in front of the vine curtain just as nervous as she had been standing in front of it earlier that day. _Well, I certainly look different than I did this morning!_ she thought to herself, glancing down at her borrowed ensemble. As if some secret call had initiated among the women on the island, they had all shown up one by one in Shannon's tent, all eager to participate in the act of getting Kate ready for her first date with the handsome doctor. Kate was wearing a short back miniskirt and black short-heeled sandals that belonged to Shannon. Her top, a sleeveless gauzy print, was on loan from Claire, while the silver pendant around her neck had come from a lady about her own age named Jude. Sun had loaned her the jade flower hair clip that was now anchoring her shining curls. Even Rose had gotten into the act, whispering a mischievous "I told you so" as she fastened her silver earrings that had been an anniversary gift from Bernard on Kate's ears.

Kate took a breath and pushed away the vine curtain. The sight that greeted her took her breath away.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to Ella Jullian and Luluz, who, judging from their super-nice reviews of my story, have been waiting patiently – okay, not so patiently – for it. Hope it is worth the wait, y'all, and that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! – Megs**

-------------------

The light from the torch candles illuminated the crystal-clear water of the lagoon, casting long shadows in the setting sun. In the middle of the circle of torches sat Jack on a large plaid blanket. Two champagne glasses, rescued from the galley of the plane, sat beside him.

"Wow," he said, getting to his feet when he saw Kate coming through the vine curtain. "Wow. You look…you look amazing."

Kate blushed and looked down at her feet. "Well, I had a little help from our friends."

"Me, too," Jack told her, gesturing at the torches and champagne glasses. He put out his hand to Kate, who took it and allowed herself to be led onto the blanket. Jack handed her a glass.

"I'm sorry it isn't real champagne," he said apologetically as she took a sip.

"It's delicious, " Kate exclaimed after taking a sip. "What is it?"

"Mango juice and a little vodka," he told her, delighted at her reaction. "Rose made it for us this afternoon."

"It's fantastic," Kate said, draining her glass. "Jack, this is amazing. Everything…my wildest fantasies could never even come close to how perfect this is."

"I'm glad," Jack said quietly. "I've wanted to do this for you for a long time now. I wish it could be real champagne and a real meal and a nice restaurant and…"

"Shush," Kate said, stopping his words with two fingertips over his lips. "I mean what I said. This is perfect. If we were back in the real world and you had asked me to describe the perfect date, this is exactly what I would have described, even knowing that all those other things were available. Thank you for doing this."

"You're welcome," Jack said, leaning towards her. His lips met hers in a kiss that began slow and soft, then began to intensify. He felt her lips parting to allow him access to the inner recesses of her mouth. He began to explore the warm, soft depths with his tongue, delighted when it came in contact with her tongue. He allowed his hand to glide down her side, barely glancing off her breast. He was rewarded with a moan that seemed to come from the depths of her soul. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to pull away from her. Her eyes flew open and he was pleased to see the longing in them.

"Just a pause, sweetheart," he told her, reaching for his backpack. "I have a surprise for you."

"Isn't this enough?" Kate asked, still stunned from the power of their first kiss.

"You tell me," Jack said, pulling something out of his pack. "Close your eyes and hold out your hand." Kate complied and felt something placed in her palm. She open her eyes and saw….a Snickers bar. It was a little dented and mashed, but the logo was recognizable. She looked at Jack in disbelief.

"How did you…where did you…wha…" she couldn't form a coherent sentence.

Jack grinned at her. "It was in my pocket on the plane. I always carry something sweet when I travel since my blood sugar tends to drop when I'm in the air. I've kept it hidden ever since."

"You mean you've had this the whole time and haven't taken even a bite?" she asked, her eyes still on the candy bar in her hand.

"Yep," Jack said, still smiling. "I guess maybe I was thinking that this day might come one day and how happy it would make me to be able to give you something like this since I would never be able to give you diamonds while we're stuck in the middle of nowhere."

"Jack, I can't eat diamonds," Kate said, tearing into the wrapper. She broke the candy bar in half and handed him a piece. "This is better than the Hope diamond." They both sat in silence for several moments, savoring the flavor of chocolate and peanuts that was almost foreign to them now.

"Wow," Kate said, swallowing the last of the candy. "I'd forgotten what chocolate tastes like."

"Me, too," Jack said. "Is it as good as you remember it?"

"Oh, yeah," Kate said, rolling her eyes. She looked over at the man who had planned this amazing night. "Hey, Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"You know how they always say that chocolate is an aphrodisiac?" she asked his slyly.

"Yeah?" Jack said again, hoping this was leading where he thought it might be.

"Well, turns out they're right," Kate said, leaping on top of Jack and pinning his arms to the ground as she began to ravage his mouth with her own.

Jack responded immediately. Taking advantage of his superior strength, he easily flipped Kate over onto her back, his lips never leaving hers. He positioned his body over hers and Kate was delighted to feel the evidence of his desire for her pressing into her thigh.

After several moments, Jack pulled his lips away from Kate's and paused to look at her. "God, you're beautiful!" he breathed as he stared at her lying on the blanket, her dark hair spread out like a halo behind her. He grinned wickedly. "But you're wearing too many damn clothes." As she giggled, he lifted her off the blanket and slid the borrowed top over her head. He pressed her back to the ground and took in the sight of her creamy breasts rising over the top of the cups of her lacy black bra. He lowered his mouth to the dip at her collarbone and pressed a series of small kisses up her neck to the base of her ear, his fingers entangling themselves in her beautiful hair as he had dreamed of doing so many times before. As Kate's moans grew louder, Jack moved his lips back down her neck, ending up at the swell of her breasts. He reached behind her and undid the clasp of her bra, lifting her right breast of its cup and into his mouth. She sighed as he made little circles around her nipple with his tongue, then moaned as he sucked the nipple into his hot, wet mouth. He made several playful nips at her before turning his attention to her other breast, giving it the same care he gave the other one.

Kate was panting by the he finished his treatment of her breasts. She reached for his belt buckle, noticing his own need straining against the denim of his jeans, but he pulled away from her wandering hands. "Not yet, baby," he said. "Not even close." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips, moving his strong surgeon's hands underneath the flimsy material of her skirt. He stopped suddenly and looked at her in astonishment. "No panties?" he asked in disbelief.

Kate grinned wickedly at him. "Shannon's idea," she said, thrilled and aroused by his reaction as she felt his hardened member strain against his jeans even more. Jack groaned and pulled the skirt over her thighs in one fluid motion. He ran his tongue down her flat stomach, then began to place small kisses up and down her thighs. Then, without warning, he plunged his tongue into her most secret of places, making Kate arch her back in pleasure. Her moans grew steadily louder as his mouth made love to her warm, wet center. _How long can he keep this up_? she wondered, her eyes closed and her head thrown back. Most guys only kept up this action for a few cursory moments before moving on to bigger and better things…but there was Jack, her Jack, pleasuring her as if he never meant to stop.

Jack gave himself a few minutes of simply enjoying the taste and scent of her before turning his attention to the rhythms of her body in order to best pleasure her. He licked up and down her wet slit, pausing every few moments to plunge his tongue inside of her. As he sensed her growing arousal, he began to pay more attention to her clit, flicking his tongue across it sucking it, biting it. As Kate's breath quickened, he added two fingers, thrusting them in and out of her wetness at a frantic pace.

Kate felt the sensations building inside of her body as her orgasm inched closer to the surface. "Jack, Jack, Jack," she moaned as she rode the crest higher….higher….higher. "Jack!" she screamed as she fell, her center tightening around his fingers in a series of seemingly endless spasms.

It was several moments before the sensations subsided and Kate's breathing returned to normal. She opened her eyes to see Jack lying next to her.

"Ummm….thank you?" she told him, scooting over to snuggle up beside him. He responded with a kiss and Kate was delighted to taste herself on him.

"My pleasure," he said, lying back and pulling Kate toward his chest.

"No, _my_ pleasure," Kate told him, making him laugh. "We're only just getting to your pleasure." She sat up and placed her hands on his chest, straddling him between her legs. He grinned up at her and laced his fingers behind his head as if to say, _I'm yours_.

Kate began the way he had, with a series of kisses around his neck and across his upper chest. She flicked his hardened nipples lightly with her tongue and, with his sighs as a sign of encouragement, used her teeth to lightly bite them. She then planted warm kisses along his stomach, pausing to admire the hard muscles bunched up in his abdomen.

Jack gave a sharp intake of breath when her hands glided over the denim material at his crotch. She grinned at his obvious arousal, unbuckling his belt slowly. She unfastened the button on his jeans, then slid the zipper down. Reaching under him, Kate scooted the jeans down his legs, then tossed them aside.

Placing her fingers in the waistband of his boxer shorts, she slid them down his thighs and was rewarded by the sight of his large hardened member springing free from the confining material. She wrapped her hand around it and slid it up and down several times as Jack gasped in pleasure. She smiled, happy that she could give him pleasure, and lowered her mouth to his cock.

"Kate?" Jack stopped her before she could take him into her mouth. She looked up questioningly. "Um, Kate, I know a lot of women don't like doing that so, if you don't want to, well, it's…" he faltered, torn between wanting to be a gentleman and wanting her mouth on him.

Kate smiled at him. "Well, Jack, fortunately for you, I'm not like a lot of women." She resumed her position and took him into her hot, wet mouth.

It was a feeling unlike anything Jack had ever known. He had received numerous blowjobs in his lifetime, but the women giving them usually acted like it was a huge effort and that they were doing him a giant favor. Judging by the moans coming from Kate's throat as she worked him, she was enjoying as much as he was.

Kate alternated between taking him deep into her throat and sucking him in short, light movements. She paused in between to lick around his head, enjoying the taste of the salty fluid that was beginning to gather there. She lifted him to lick the underside of his shaft, taking his testicles in her hand and lightly massaging them before sucking him down her throat again.

Jack felt his pulse quicken and knew his release was close. "Kate, you can move away now, I'm going to come," he panted. She continued to work her mouth around the base of his cock, oblivious to his words. "Kate, oh god, Kate," Jack moaned. "Kate, I'm coming, I'm coming!" His body jerked and spasmed, shooting a hot stream down her throat.

Kate sat up and lightly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She moved up to lay beside him, his panting making her deliriously happy. "I guess you liked that?" she teased him, enjoying the feeling of his arm wrapped around her.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Well, maybe a little," he answered her in the same teasing manner. He kissed her lightly. "Kate, that was amazing. No one ever…I've never enjoyed oral sex that much before."

"Me neither," she told him, returning the kiss. He pulled away from her and leaned up on one elbow, staring down at her.

"What?" she asked him, slightly concerned at the serious look on his handsome face.

"I just can't get over how beautiful you are," he told her and Kate could hear the honesty and emotion in his voice as he spoke. "Your hair –" he stopped to run his free hand through her tousled curls – "your face" he moved his hand down to stoke her cheek – "your body" his hand moved down the length of her – "and your heart" he finished, placing a kiss on the mentioned area. Kate felt her insides lurch at his tender words.

"Jack, I…I," she began, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"What is it, love?" he asked, kissing the tear away.

"I love you, Jack," she said simply.

Jack's breath quickened at hearing these words from her for the first time. She had told him she was in love with him earlier but this was the first time she'd said the actual words. Jack stared at her, wanting to remember every detail of this moment – the moment his life changed. Overcome with emotion and unable to speak, he lowered his mouth onto hers and hoped his kiss told her everything he so desperately wanted to say.

Kate responded to his kiss enthusiastically and was surprised and delighted to feel him begin to harden against her leg again. God, the man has stamina, she thought happily. He shifted a bit, kicking his boxer shorts – which were still hanging off one leg – the rest of the way off, then lowered his body onto Kate's. She felt him position himself just about her wet entrance, pausing to look at her.

"Is this okay, Kate?" he asked her softly. "Is this what you want?"

"Oh, yes, Jack," she replied breathlessly, straining her body to meet him, disappointed that she couldn't quite reach him. "I want you inside of me, all the way inside of me."

Jack needed no further encouragement. He shoved his rock-hard cock inside of her in a single thrust, then stopped to make sure she was all right. He took her moans as a positive sign and placed his hands on her hips to guide her. Soon they were moving together, his cock thrusting in and out of her with an increasing speed. God, he couldn't believe how good she felt! So tight, yet so ready to receive him in the depths of her warm wetness. He bit back a groan and was surprised to realize that he was struggling to keep from coming just as a teenage boy would.

Kate lay on her back, thrusting her hips upward perfectly in sync with his movements, trying to pull him in as deep and fully as possible. His large member filled her and pressed against the most sensitive parts of her body, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her with each thrust. Jack grabbed one of her legs and shoved it up onto his shoulder. The new position allowed him to fill her even more completely than before and caused him to graze her g-spot with each thrust.

Kate felt her orgasm begin to build inside of her. "Jack," she moaned, grabbing his head and pulling his lips towards hers. Soon their tongues were moving with the same thrust pattern as their lower regions. Kate moaned against his lips, feeling the tremors beginning in the depths of her belly and radiating outward. "Oh my god, Jack!" she screamed as the fire that had been burning suddenly exploded, sending the tremors shooting up and down her body. They lasted and lasted, each small movement from Jack adding to the sensations.

Finally Kate lay still beneath Jack. "Oh, wow, Jack that was….you're….I'm….wow." He smiled down at her and kissed her parted lips.

After Kate's breathing had returned to normal, Jack slowly began his movements again. "Is this okay?" he asked her. "Are you all right with this?"

"Oh, yes, Jack, this is wonderful," she replied, shocked and pleased to feel the fire in her belly begin its slow burn once again. She arched up to meet his thrusts. "But I'm ready for you to come, Jack. I want to make you come, I want you to feel like I just did. Please, Jack, come, I want you to come," she panted. Jack's movements quickened and Kate's body exploded once again in another powerful orgasm. The sensations caused her to tighten around Jack's rapidly thrusting member, which was all he needed to send him over the edge. Kate felt him tense up and she shuddered as she felt her insides coated with his hot seed. Jack gave one final thrust before collapsing on top of her, his breath hot and heavy on her throat.

It was several minutes before either of them spoke. Jack finally lifted himself off of her and placed a sweet kiss at the base of her throat. "Sorry I'm squashing you," he said apologetically, moving to the side and finally breaking their connection.

"You're not, " Kate said honestly, moving over to wrap her naked body around his. "Jack, that was incredible. If I had known….well, I think I might have just jumped on top of you that first day just as soon as I had finished stitching you up."

Jack laughed. "Hey, I don't really think I would have minded all that much, truth be told. I've been pretty crazy about you since the day I met you, you know."

Kate nodded slowly. "Jack I'm sorry that…" Jack's lips on hers stopped her words.

"Kate, I thought we agreed to live for the now," he said as soon as they broke apart. "That means no tomorrows but no yesterdays either. We both fucked up more times than I care to count. But it doesn't matter anymore. We're together now and that's all that matters to me." He took her face in his hand and stroked her cheek gently. He spoke seriously now." You don't have to be afraid of anything anymore. You're what matters most to me now and I'll always protect you and be here for you. There's two of us now." He lowered his lips to hers again.

"Yes, two of us," Kate murmured against his lips as she felt herself begin to melt beneath him once again.


	9. Chapter 9

Kate opened her eyes and looked around her, trying to remember where she was. The early morning sun caused sparkling diamonds across the surface of the tranquil lagoon and warmed her bare legs. She felt someone stir behind her and the memories of the previous night rushed back to her. She had lost count of how many times they had made love, but it was enough to leave her pleasantly sore and exhausted this morning. _Jack certainly has an appetite_, she thought happily, scooting her bare backside closer towards him, smiling as the hardened length of him pressed up against her. She rolled over to face him and found his warm brown eyes staring back into hers.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi," he replied, kissing her lightly on her forehead, her nose, and finally on her lips.

They lay in silence for several moments, simply enjoying the quiet surrounding them and the feel of each other's bodies. Eventually, Jack rolled over onto his back, pulling Kate alongside of him, and groaned audibly.

"What's wrong?" Kate asked, snuggling up beside him, not wanting to break her contact with his sun-warmed skin.

Jack placed his free arm across his forehead in an attempt to block the glare of the early morning sun. "Just the knowledge that I have to get back to the beach soon. You know how it is – I disappear for five minutes and an epidemic breaks out. Add that to the fact that you completely wore me out last night, so I'll probably be no good to anyone anyway." He laughed as she lightly slapped his thigh, the hugged her close to him. "I suppose it was worth it, though."

"Jack, I wish we could stay right here forever," Kate whispered into his chest.

"Me, too," Jack replied.

"Do you think….I mean, could you…could we…" Kate trailed off as she felt Jack go rigid against her thigh.

"It appears I would most definitely like that," Jack said, pulling Kate on top of him and pulling her head towards his own. Their kiss deepened as Kate rubbed her body across Jack's, finally positioning herself directly above his hardened member. She moaned loudly as he slipped inside of her, then more loudly as she found her rhythm and began moving on top of him.

Jack struggled to control his passion as she continued her agonizingly slow up-and-down movements. He reached up and took her breasts in his hands, kneading them in rhythm with her movements. He dropped one hand down towards the heat coming from the area where their bodies had joined and found her clit among the wetness. He began rubbing it lightly, eliciting a series of moans and groans from Kate's lips.

Without warning, Jack sat up, causing Kate to fling her arms around him to avoid breaking their connection. Adjusting to this new position, both Jack and Kate placed their arms behind them, leaning back and using the power of their lower bodies to maintain their thrusting.

Kate felt her tremors beginning and knew that her release was close. To her delight, she felt Jack's body tensing up as well.

"Gonna come, Kate," he panted, moving faster now.

"Ohhhh….Jack….me too, me too….oh, Jack…..now, now, now!" Kate screamed as she began her fall. At that same moment, she felt Jack's warm, wet seed shooting up into the deepest, darkest recesses of her body, causing her tremors to intensify.

Jack reached up and wrapped his arms around Kate's body and she responded similarly. They sat for several minutes, neither wanting to pull away from the most intimate of connections. Finally Kate sighed and moved off his lap.

"You know, Jack," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "I have a feeling that the camp is going to go to hell in a hurry."

"What do you mean by that?" Jack asked, placing a small kiss in her tangle of curls.

"Well, now that we've started this, I have a feeling that I'm never gonna be able to get enough of you," Kate said. "So all we're gonna be able to do is make love all day every day."

"I could live with that," Jack said.

"Oh, so could I, but think of all those poor people back at the beach who need a doctor. You'll have to just them that you can't help because you're too busy fucking me," Kate laughed.

"Oh, yeah, I can see myself telling Rose to take care of herself 'cause I can't stop fucking you," Jack rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to learn to control ourselves then," Kate said with a huge sigh.

"Oh, nevermind, my medical practice was never _that_ important to me anyway," Jack answered, making Kate laugh as she pulled Jack on top of her once again.

-------------------

It was several hours later that Jack and Kate emerged from behind the vine curtain that separated "their" lagoon from the rest of the world. Their playful wrestling had turned into yet another long, slow lovemaking session, as had the "shower" that they had shared underneath the lagoon's waterfall. They clung to each other still as they made their way along the path back to the beach, neither wanting to let go of the other. They had almost reached the beach when Jack stopped suddenly.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I have something for you," he told Kate, rummaging around in his backpack.

"Jack, you've already given me so much more than I….ohhhh," her eyes lit up as she saw the intricately carved rose that he held in his hand.

"I asked John to carve this for you," he said, handing it to her. "I wanted you to have something to remember our first date by."

"As if I could ever forget," Kate said, her eyes shining with tears as she looked at the beautiful object in her hand. She threw her arms around Jack. "Jack, I love you so much," she whispered into his shoulder.

"I love you, too," he said, lightly pulling her away from his shoulder and kissing her. "And I…." He broke off as her heard footsteps approaching.

Charlie and Claire were walking towards them on the beach path, Aaron in a sling across Claire's midsection. They both grinned happily as they saw their friends wrapped around one another.

"Well, I gather that last night was a success," Claire said, beaming at Kate. Kate blushed and buried her face in Jack's shoulder.

"Hate to break it up, mate," Charlie told Jack. "But Sun said she really needs you back at the caves. Some sort of virus going around, she thinks."

"And so it begins," Jack murmured to Kate, causing her to giggle in remembrance of their earlier conversation.

"Well, you know what the excuse is if it all gets to be too much," she told him, eliciting confused looks from Charlie and Claire.

"I'll try to control myself," Jack said, wrapping his arms around her once more and lightly placing his lips against hers before trotting off in the direction of the caves. "I'll come find you later," he called back over his shoulder as he disappeared into the jungle.

Kate felt silly when her eyes filled with tears. Claire noticed and made a valiant effort to cheer her friend. "Come on, love, I want to hear _everything_ about last night" she said, putting her arm around Kate and hugging her close. "Did Jack like your outfit?" They wandered towards the beach, leaving Charlie to follow behind.

"Women," he said, shaking his head.


	10. Chapter 10

**Says Meg: Okay, I told y'all in the beginning that I had no idea where this story was going to go and, truthfully, I still don't. Jack and Kate finally hooked up, but I think the path ahead might still be a little rocky for them – it always is. I also think I'd like to focus a little more on the stories of the other pairings – Charlie and Claire, Shannon and Sayid, Rose and Bernard, Sun and Jin, Hurley and Libby, and – I think – Sawyer and Ana Lucia. I think they might be fun to explore.**

**Because I am feeling very analytical today, I'll answer a question I have been asked a few times. I choose to ignore certain elements of the story because….well, because it's my story and I can. No, really, that's the best I can come up with. I'm not really focusing on the threat of the Others because I think being stranded on an island would be hard enough without having crazy people stalking you thrown into the mix and because I am choosing to focus more on the main characters and their relationships because that it what I like to write about. I leave certain characters out because they have no real impact on my storylines. I kept Shannon alive because I like her and Sayid together and Boone, Ana-Lucia, and Libby aren't dead because I need them. And I write graphic sex scenes because it is fun to imagine (providing that you're old enough – sorry, I'm saying that from a parent's perspective) and because some of y'all sure seem to enjoy them! **

**Okay, I'm done now. Thanks for all the nice reviews so far. I am always open to suggestions if anyone has strong feelings about where a particular storyline should go. **

**-------------------**

It was still quite early in the morning, but Claire could already tell that it was going to be a brutally hot day. The early morning sun beat down on the tarp that served as the roof of her shelter, filling the inside with a stale heat. Claire raised herself from her bed and rolled up the front and the back of the tarp, creating a nice through-breeze. Lifting her hair off her neck to cool down a bit, she sank back down onto the bed.

Charlie rolled over and planted a sleepy kiss on her shoulder. "Morning, love," he said, his eyes still closed. "Breeze feels nice."

"Yeah, it's hot today," she said, returning the kiss and snuggling up next to him. He shifted slightly and took her into his arms. She sighed, contented.

"So did you get all the juicy details from Kate last night?" Charlie asked her. "You guys were up until after midnight gabbing out by the fire."

Claire smiled. "Yeah, we prodded until she gave in. She wouldn't give us specifics but from what I gather, Jack is…ummm…quite, well, _good_ in that particular aspect."

"And why should that be a surprise?" Charlie muttered, earning a jab in the ribs from Claire. "Dr. Perfect, he is."

"Well, I think that Kate thinks so, anyway," Claire confirmed, recalling the grin that hadn't left her friend's face since she returned from her all-night date with Jack the day before.

"And what about you, hmm?" Charlie asked her. "Are you crushing on Dr. Perfect after hearing about Kate's date?

Claire smiled coyly. "Well, maybe a little," she said, squealing as Charlie rolled over on top of her. "But, really, I do think I prefer musicians to doctors," she added hastily as he began to tickle her ribs.

"That's what I though," Charlie said, bending to kiss her. Her lips parted under his and he used his tongue to explore every inch of her sweet-tasting mouth. Claire moaned audibly as his hand slipped down to caress her breast, kneading it in perfect rhythm with the movements of his tongue.

A shrill wail interrupted them. Aaron was awake and hungry. Claire giggled at Charlie's loud groan, pushing him aside as she heaved herself off the bed and over to Aaron's cradle. She picked him up and brought him back over to the bed where Charlie had flopped theatrically onto his back.

"Hungry, little guy?" she asked, planting a kiss on the top of Aaron's head. "Well, let's see what we can do about that." She lifted her shirt and offered her breast to the infant, who latched on immediately. Claire adjusted to the movements of his mouth, then settled back to let him nurse.

"Some guys have all the luck," Charlie said, pretending to sulk as he reached for his jeans and a t-shirt.

"Hey, you wanted to be a daddy," Claire reminded him, laughing at his antics. "Where are you going?"

"To scrounge up some breakfast for us," Charlie replied. "Then to see what gruesome task Locke has planned for the team today." He leaned down and ruffled Aaron's hair. "I'll bring you some food soon," he added, planting a quick kiss on Claire lips.

"'Bye," she called out, absorbed in watching the suckling movements of her son. Charlie watched her lovingly for a moment, continually amazed at how wonderful being a part of something so special could feel.

-------------------

"Hey, Kate!" Charlie called out, jogging along the beach towards where she was collecting shells with Sun. Both women looked up and smiled at him.

"Hi, Sun," he nodded at the Korean lady, who smiled back as she continued to search the ground. "Uh, Kate, could I ask a favor of you?"

"Shoot," Kate said, shifting the bowl of shells to her other hip.

"Well, see, thing is, uhh," Charlie began, unsure of how to ask her.

"Spit it out, Charlie," Kate ordered, making Sun giggle.

Charlie blushed. "Okay, well, I wanted to have a…a, uhh, a night alone with Claire," he said in a rush, his blush spreading. "Do you think you and Jack could watch Aaron tonight?"

Kate smiled at the redness in his face as he asked. "Of course we will. I really owe Claire one, anyway," she added, giggling at what must have been a private joke between the two women.

"Great," Charlie said relieved. "Oh, and, uh, I'm really happy that, you know, well, that things worked out between you and Jack," he added, turning to leave.

"Me, too," Kate said, giving him a small wave as he jogged off to take Claire her breakfast.

"Well, you know what this means, don't you?" Kate asked Sun once Charlie was out of earshot.

Sun nodded, grinning. "Let's go raid Shannon's suitcases!"

-------------------

Sun jogged off to let Jin know where she was going. Kate was walking towards Shannon's tent when a pair of strong brown arms caught her around the waist and spun her around. She came face-to-face with Jack, who smiled at her before smothering her lips in a passionate kiss, raising catcalls from Hurley and Walt, who were walking by, and a "get a room" from Sawyer who lay half-asleep under a tree nearby.

"You know, I didn't think it was possible that you could ever look more beautiful to me than you did when we woke up beside the lagoon the other morning, but you're even more beautiful today," Jack told her, taking the bowl of shells from her hands and joining her as she resumed her walk.

Kate smiled at his words. "Jack, you do know that you've already hooked me into your bed, right?" she teased him. "The cheesy lines aren't really necessary anymore."

"Oh, you mean I don't need to tell you …ummm…let's see…. that you must be tired because you've been running through my mind all day?" Jack said, trying valiantly to keep a straight face.

Kate burst out laughing. "Where on earth did you hear something like that?" she said, gasping for breath.

Jack shrugged, a grin spreading over her face. "Just picked it up somewhere I guess," he told her, enjoying the sound of her laughter and glad that he was the one who could make her laugh like that.

"You're a goofball," Kate said, shaking her head.

"So where're you off to?" Jack asked her when she had stopped giggling.

"Up to Shannon's," Kate replied. "Another girl meeting."

"Another one?" Jack asked, eyebrows raised.

"Well, they all helped me get ready for my date with you," Kate explained. "Now it's Claire's turn."

"What do you mean, Claire's turn?" Jack asked.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Kate said. "Charlie asked if you and I would watch Aaron tonight so he and Claire could have some time together. They've been together for weeks now but because of the baby, they never have the chance to sneak off like we do."

Jack smiled at her. "Well, I hope they have as much fun as we did when we snuck off," he said, eliciting another giggle from Kate.

"So, are you going to help me watch the baby tonight?" Kate asked him.

"I don't know, whatcha gonna do for me?" Jack teased her.

"I'm sure I'll think of something," Kate replied, stretching up on her toes to give him a quick peck on the lips before heading up to Shannon's shelter.


	11. Chapter 11

"Okay, so extra nappies are over there," Claire told Kate, pointing to a bucket filled with rags of varying colors and textures. "And blankets over there" – she pointed at a pile next to the bucket – "in case he spits up or anything."

"Claire, I got it," Kate told her in an exasperated tone. "We've been over this a dozen times."

"I know, I know, it's just…."Claire trailed off.

"I know, you've never left him before," Kate said soothingly. "But he'll be fine, I swear. Jack'll be here when he finishes his rounds and we won't let him out of our sight. I swear we'll come and find you if we need you." Claire smiled feebly at her.

"I know, silly, right?" she said, wiping her eyes and checking to make sure the bottles of breast milk she had expressed earlier were still fresh.

"No, not silly, just mommy," Kate said. "Now, stop that. Shannon'll kill you if you mess up her paint job," she added, referring to the subtle make-up Shannon had arranged on Claire's sun-kissed face.

Claire smiled and dabbed at her eyes. "Oh, here comes Charlie," she said, looking out of her shelter and up the beach. She gave Aaron a final kiss on the head and started towards him.

"Hold it!" Claire stopped in her tracks as Charlie spun around so he couldn't see her. "Get back into your shelter!" he ordered.

"Wha…?" she asked, mystified by his behavior.

"Go, Claire," he said firmly. "This is a real date and I want to pick you up at your front door like a gentleman."

Claire shook her head and walked back to the shelter where Kate stood giggling at Charlie's antics. Claire rolled her eyes to heaven, but Kate could see that she was secretly pleased.

Charlie knocked on the side of the tent. "Please enter, good sir," Claire said in a mocking voice. Charlie grinned.

"Play nice or I won't give you these," he told her, handing her a bouquet of tropical flowers. Claire gave a delighted squeal and reached for them.

"They're beautiful, Charlie," she said, happily burying her face in them. "Thank you so much."

"Here, let me take them and get them in some water," Kate said, reaching for the bouquet with the hand that wasn't holding Aaron. Claire handed them over.

"Okay, you be good for Aunt Kate and Uncle Jack tonight, kiddo," Charlie said, rubbing his hand through the baby's hair and placing a kiss on his nose.

"'Bye, sweetie," Claire said, doing the same. "Mommy will miss you so much!" She fought back the tears that were threatening to escape. Kate saw the look.

"Go!" she demanded, laughing and shooing them out of the tent. She watched happily as they made their way up the beach and out of sight.

"Right, let's get you changed and fed before Jack gets here," she said, turning her attention to the baby in her arms.

-------------------

Kate wasn't the only one watching Charlie and Claire skip up the beach that evening. Shannon sighed happily as she watched them go, then turned back to Sayid, who was cooking their dinner on a blazing fire.

"You know, you really started something with the whole 'island date' thing," she told him, snuggling up beside him. He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Yes, those candle torches I carved are certainly making the rounds," he agreed.

"I think it's nice that everyone is settling down into pairs," Shannon said. "I mean, it sort of makes this place seem more normal, more like the real world."

"I agree with you," Sayid said, turning the fish. "I just hope it does not backfire on anyone."

"What do you mean?" Shannon asked him.

Sayid shook his head as of to clear it. "Nothing," he told her, smiling. "It's just that…well, I hope for everyone's sake that we've all picked the right partners." Shannon gave him a confused look. "It's a small community," he continued, noticing her confusion at his words. "Life would be difficult if much conflict is introduced."

"So, wait," Shannon began huffily. "Do you think that maybe you've made the wrong choice? Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

Sayid grinned at her indignation, amused as always by her temper. "Shannon, you're my polar opposite in every possible way," he said, grabbing her around the waist as she tried to move away from him. "No, wait," he continued, holding her as she struggled. "That's how I know that I love you," he finished.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Shannon asked, still squirming away from him.

"Shannon, you fight me at every turn," Sayid told her. "You never pretend to be somebody you're not. If you'd started out as someone different, then revealed your real self to me later, I could not have born it. When I fell in love with the real you, with full knowledge of your bad qualities as well as your good, I knew it was real." Shannon stopped struggling. He took advantage of her silence, laying his lips upon hers and lightly forcing them apart with his tongue. She responded enthusiastically, her arms wrapping around his strong back, their dinner forgotten.

-------------------

The sun was setting as Charlie and Claire walked along the shoreline. They had removed their shoes and were enjoying the feel of the ocean's spray against their legs.

"Claire, you look beautiful tonight," Charlie said, taking her hand.

"Thank you," Claire said, blushing at the compliment.

"I mean, you always look beautiful," Charlie rushed on. "I didn't mean it like that you usually look bad and you finally look good tonight or anything."

Claire laughed. "Charlie, relax!" she ordered.

"Sorry," he said. Then he laughed too. "I don't know why I'm nervous," he told her.

"Isn't it weird? I'm nervous, too, and I have no idea why," Claire told him.

"Yeah, I mean, we've been together for weeks now," Charlie said. "It's not like tonight is, you know, like, the first time or anything." He blushed as he said the words.

Claire stopped and turned to face Charlie. She placed her hands on the sides of his face and brought his mouth down to hers. Her tongue caressed his as she moved her hands from his face to his back, making small circles just above his backside. Charlie wrapped his hands in her long blond hair, turning her head for better access to her neck. He placed a series of lights kisses along her collarbone, freeing one hand from her hair and moving it to her breast. She let out a moan and he was instantly hard.

They fell to the ground, their bodies sinking into the wet sand beneath them. Charlie lifted Claire slightly and pulled the sundress over her head in one swoop, the lay her back down against the sand. He sucked in his breath at the sight of her in her lacy bra and panties, his hardened cock straining painfully against his pants.

Claire smiled at his quickened breath and the feel of him against her bare leg. She pulled him on top of her, her hand snaking down to unbutton his jeans. She teased him for a moment with her hands in the waistband of his boxers, then shoved them down as well.

Charlie groaned as she took him in her hand and slowly began to pump him. "Careful, love," he murmured against her lips. "I'm not gonna last long if you keep that up." Claire giggled as she moved her hands around to caress his back. He responded by moving his lips down to her breasts, using both his mouth and his hands to tease her hardened nipples. Claire's giggles turned to moans.

"I'm ready Charlie," she whispered into his ear. "I'm ready to have you inside of me." Charlie responded instantly, pushing away the thin lace of her panties and positioning himself at her hot, wet center. Repeating her name over and over, he plunged himself inside.

Claire gasped at the sensations. Within minutes she began to feel the familiar burn in the lower part of her belly and began to pump her hips in the rhythm of Charlie's steady thrusts. "Faster, Charlie, faster," she urged him. He complied.

Claire screamed as she felt the explosions begin inside of her. Her excitement sent Charlie to the edge as well and he came with a hard thrust and a loud groan. "I love you so much," he managed before collapsing on top of her, the waves crashing around them as the tide began to come in.

Claire shivered at the differing sensations of cold water lapping against her feet and legs and Charlie's hot, sweaty body covering her own. Charlie moved off of her, then pulled her up against him. "Well, I'd have to say that that did something to take away the nervousness," he joked, placing a kiss on her shoulder.

Claire giggled, moving closer to him. "This is just like something from a movie," she said happily. "I feel like Deborah Kerr. _From Here to Eternity_," she added at Charlie's confused look.

"Never saw it," he told her, shaking his head. "And I was trying so hard to be original!"

"Oh, you're definitely that," she assured him. "Definitely one-of-a-kind."

-------------------

Several miles up the beach, Kate and Jack were walking with Aaron. It had taken some persuading, but Kate had managed to convince Jack to carry the baby in Claire's sling.

"It feels primordial," Jack complained, although Kate could see the tender way in which he supported the baby cradled against him. She laughed at him.

"I think he likes you," she teased.

"Yeah, well…babies aren't generally too picky," Jack replied.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Kate replied. "It's better now, but he use to scream every time Sawyer came within ten feet of him."

"Shows he has good taste," Jack muttered under his breath, but Kate still heard him and shot him a warning glance.

"Okay, peace," he said, shooting her a grin. "Hey, do you ever think about having one of these things?" He gestured towards the baby strapped across his midsection.

Kate shrugged. "Sometimes, I guess. I don't know how good I'd be at it though. I mean, Claire just seems to be a natural mother. She always seems to know what to do, what to check for when he's fussy or whatever. I don't know if I could do that."

"I don't know," Jack replied thoughtfully. "I think it's something that comes along with the baby. I remember how scared Claire was before he was born. She didn't think she'd be any good at it, either, but look at her now."

"I guess," Kate said slowly, smiling at the baby's happy gurgles. "So what about you?" she asked Jack. "Do you want one?"

Jack hesitated for a moment. "Yeah, I do," he said finally. "But only with the right person."

Kate frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jack sighed, shifting Aaron's weight to his other side. "When I was married to Sarah…"He stopped at the look on Kate's face. "I know we agreed not to talk about our lives before the crash, but I really need you to know this, okay?" Kate nodded slowly. "It was one night about six months before she walked out," he continued. "I was just coming in from my shift…I guess it was about six o'clock in the morning, right about the time she was getting up for work. I had just crawled into bed when she said she needed to tell me something." He stopped, wiped a hand over his face. "She told me she'd taken a pregnancy test that day. I barely had a chance to react to that when she told me it was negative."

He turned to look at Kate. "Kate, the worst part of it was that I was relieved when she told me it was negative. You never really know how you're going to react to something like that, but all I remember feeling is an overwhelming sense of relief. I knew right then that Sarah wasn't the one for me – I knew that she wasn't the one I wanted to be the mother of my children. If she had been, I know I would've felt disappointed when she told me that she wasn't pregnant, not relieved. That was sort of the beginning of the end for us, I guess, although I did try really hard for several more months to make it work."

Kate reached out and took his hand in hers. They walked in silence for a few minutes. "I thought I was pregnant once," Kate said softly, not looking at Jack.

"Want to tell me about it?" he asked.

Kate nodded. "Since we're baring souls and all…I was twenty-two," she began and felt Jack's hand tighten around hers. "It was after…. Wayne and everything. I had just found Tom again and we spent several weeks together while his wife was out of town." She stopped, took a deep breath. "I never meant for it to happen. But one night during a thunderstorm, I was having a nightmare and I guess my screams woke him up. He crawled into bed with me and we made love." Another pause. "He died two weeks later."

Kate was quiet for several moments. Then she spoke again. "About a month or so later I realized that I was late, which was very unusual for me. Looking back, I guess it was stress and all, but I remember thinking 'what if?' I knew that I could never take care of a baby while I was running, but at the same time, the thought of a part of Tom living on comforted me for several weeks until my period eventually came and I knew it wasn't possible." Her tears were falling unchecked now.

"Hey, hey, shush, shush," Jack told her, wrapping his arms around her, careful not to squash Aaron in between them. "It's okay, Kate, everything's going to be okay." He wiped the tears from her cheeks, then placed a kiss on her lips. They resumed walking, his arm wrapped around her waist.

"Well, this was a cheery conversation," Kate said, breaking the silence and attempting to lighten the mood.

"Sure was," Jack agreed, laughing softly. "Hey, look at that," he said, gesturing down at Aaron. "I think he's fallen asleep."

"Looks like you're a natural, Jack," Kate said as they started back up the beach towards Claire's shelter. She watched Jack protectively cradle the child in his arms. "Maybe having one wouldn't be so bad," she thought to herself, smiling as she pictured Jack holding his own child the way he was holding Aaron.


	12. Chapter 12

It was well past dusk when Charlie and Claire rounded a bend in the beach and came upon the romantic picnic that Charlie had arranged earlier that day. Sayid's torches flooded the area with the romantic glow of candlelight and a feast of several different fruits had been arranged on a platter. The two of them settled onto the blanket and began their meal, both still basking in the afterglow of the lovemaking they had enjoyed earlier. Afterward, Charlie picked up his guitar and began to sing softly to Claire.

_It's late in the evening, she's wondering what clothes to wear.  
She puts on her make-up and brushes her long blonde hair.  
And then she asks me, "Do I look all right?"  
And I say, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight."_

Claire smiled and lay back on the blanket, enjoying the sound of his voice as he sung the poetic words to her. After several minutes, Charlie put down his guitar and joined her.

"What are you thinking about, love?" he asked her, pulling her close to him.

"How happy I am at this very moment," she replied, snuggling up next to his warm body.

"Happy even though we're stuck here?" Charlie asked.

"Yes," Claire said without hesitation. "If we hadn't crashed here, I wouldn't have Aaron." She paused and looked at him. "I wouldn't have you."

Charlie's heart lurched at her words. "I know," he murmured into her hair. "I wouldn't have you or Aaron either. Claire…the two of you have made me a new person. Whatever happens, I will always be thankful to you for that."

Claire shook her head. "No, Charlie. This is the person you've always been," she said. "You just lost your way for a while. You've found it again."

Overcome with emotion, Charlie could not find the words he needed to express his feelings for the beautiful woman laying in his arms. He settled instead for kissing her passionately, hoping that his kiss told her what words couldn't.

-------------------

It was several hours later that Claire awoke in Charlie's arms, pleasantly sore and exhausted from the multiple rounds of lovemaking they had shared. She felt a wetness on her chest and frowned.

Her movements woke Charlie from his deep slumber. "What is it, love?" he asked sleepily, planting a small kiss on her cheek.

"Nothing," she said, groping in the darkness for her clothes. "I just have to get back to Aaron."

"Oh, sure," Charlie said, sitting up and reaching for his t-shirt. "Here, just leave all that," he added when he saw her reaching down to gather up their blanket and the remains of their picnic. "I'll come back for it later."

They started back towards the camp, hand-in hand.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer," Claire told Charlie apologetically. "It was all so wonderful and…."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Charlie replied. "I totally understand. I knew what I was getting into when I fell in love with a mommy…well, actually, I didn't, but turns out I'm fine with it," he finished, making Claire giggle.

They reached their shelter quickly and Claire smiled at the sight of Jack and Kate wrapped around one another on her bed. She moved over to the cradle where Aaron was just beginning to stir. "Hi, love," she said softly. "I missed you."

Her soft words woke Jack, who gently eased himself out from under Kate and came to stand beside her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Claire said, as she settled down into the sand and lifted Aaron to her breast.

"No problem," Jack said with a yawn. "So, what, you wear him out already?" he teased, smirking at Charlie, who responded with a rude gesture.

Claire smiled. "No, motherly duties called," she said, gesturing toward the baby at her breast. "My body has a lovely way of telling me when my baby is hungry. Did he give you any problems?"

"Nope, he's great," Jack told her. "We walked up the beach a ways and he fell asleep in that sling thing of yours. He's been down ever since."

"Wow, good night then," Claire said, kissing the top of the baby's head.

"Yeah, it was. Listen, I'm going to get Kate out of here now so you can get into your bed once you've finished with him," Jack said, moving over to where Kate lay sleeping. He bent down and gathered her into his arms, her head flopping onto his shoulder as she snuggled against him and settled back down into sleep.

"Need any help, mate?" Charlie asked, holding open the tent flap for him.

"No, I'm just going to take her over to her old shelter," Jack told him, adjusting the sleeping woman in his arms. "She left her bed there when she came to the caves. She'll be fine there tonight."

"Good night," Claire called softly. "And thanks!"

"You're welcome," Jack replied as he carried Kate the short distance to the shelter.

-------------------

Jack was back at the caves early the next morning, having left Kate sleeping in the beach shelter. He smiled to himself as he finished checking his cart of medical supplies, remembering how angelic her sleeping face had looked in the early morning sunlight that filtered through the tarp that served as the shelter's roof.

"Hey, dude, busy morning?" Hurley wandered over to where Jack stood daydreaming.

Jack shook his head as if to clear it. "Not yet," he answered, turning his attention back to the supplies. "But it's only eight. Plenty of time for disaster to strike." He and Hurley shared a chuckle.

"So, listen, I was going to see if maybe a couple of the guys wanted to play some golf later this afternoon. You know, some, uh, male bonding and all that stuff? Anyways, I was going to ask Charlie and Michael and wanted to know if you wanted in," Hurley finished.

"Unless something happens, sure, count me in," Jack told him, slipping his backpack over his shoulders in preparation for his morning rounds on the beach.

"Sweet. Hey, you going to the beach?" Hurley asked. Jack nodded. "Mind if I join you?" Jack nodded again and they set off down what had become a well-worn path.

"Uh, Jack, can I, uh, ask you something?" Hurley said after they had walked a short distance.

"Shoot."

"Okay, thing is…well, uh, you've, like, had a lot of experience with women, right?" Hurley asked him.

Jack chuckled, then shook his head. "I've had enough, I suppose," he said. "Why?"

"Well, I figured that as a doctor and with your looks and all…" he trailed off as Jack looked at him strangely. "Uh, anyway," he continued, rushing ahead. "I just, like, was wondering what you would do about Libby if you were in my place."

"What do you mean, what I would do about Libby?" Jack asked, wondering just where this conversation was going.

"See, uh, I, well, I, uh, I kinda like her a little," Hurley said, ducking his head so Jack couldn't see the blush that was creeping up over his neck and cheeks.

"And?" Jack pressed him.

"And, well, I just wanted to know…like, how did you let Kate know you were interested in her? I mean, did you just come out and say 'hey, I'm hot for you' or what?" Hurley asked, embarrassed but eager to gets Jack's opinion.

Jack just shook his head again. "Hurley, I wouldn't want to recommend the path that Kate and I took to get where we did. I mean, yeah, it worked out in the end, but we spent months going in circles and basically just acting like assholes…and I regret every moment of that because those were months that we could've been together if we hadn't been so goddamn stubborn." He stopped, took a breath. "Look, I don't like to get too involved in other people's relationships, okay? I've done some pretty fucked-up shit in the past, so I'm probably not the best one to be asking about this. But look," he continued, unable to ignore the desperate look on Hurley's face, "the best thing I can tell you is to be honest with her. If you like her, let her know it. Don't try to act all cool and distant to get her attention. It works for some guys, but it's way too easy to blow." He paused again, thought for a moment. "I don't know, ask her on a date or something. That's been a pretty popular trend lately and the ladies really seem to enjoy it, judging from the way they've been gabbing and gossiping lately." They had reached the beach.

"A date, huh?" Hurley repeated, looking thoughtful. Jack nodded and slapped him on the back before her trotted off on his rounds. "Yeah, I guess I could do that."

-------------------

Hurley found Libby sitting in front of her shelter repairing one of Jin's fishing nets.

"Hi, Hurley," she said when she spotted him coming towards her.

"Uh, hey, Libby," he replied. _God, she has a pretty smile_, he thought.

"Anything interesting happening around here this morning?" Libby asked him, shading her eyes from the sun as she looked up at him.

"Naw, just the usual," Hurley told her, crouching down in front of her. "Uh, Sawyer was helping out with Aaron while Claire went to wash up and he was changing his diaper and, well, uh, Aaron peed right in his face."

Libby burst out laughing. _What a great laugh_, Hurley thought. _Wonder if I can make her do it again?_

"I think I might've liked to see that," she said, wiping her eyes.

"Yeah, it was pretty funny. So, anyways, uh, Libby, well, I was just wondering if maybe….well, if maybe you'd like to go on a date," Hurley asked, staring down at his shoes. "With me, I mean." He added, finally looking up.

Libby smiled brilliantly. "Of course, Hurley," she said. "That would be wonderful."

"Really?" Hurley asked in amazement. He shook his head. "I mean, yeah, it'll be great. I, uh, I got some things to do now. Can we have the date tomorrow night?"

"Sure," Libby said.

"Cool. I'll see you then. I mean, I'm sure I'll see you before then, but I'll definitely see you then. Yeah, I mean…"he fumbled a bit.

"Hurley?" Libby said softly. "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow night." She smiled at him once more and returned to her mending.

"Yeah, me too," Hurley said and turned to go.

-------------------

**UP NEXT: The guys play golf and gab, the girls get Libby ready for her date and gab, Jack and Kate spend some time together (read: hot, sweaty sex – and Jack singing to Kate), and Libby and Hurley have their date. **


	13. Chapter 13

Jack finished his morning rounds, stopping for a brief swim in the ocean with Kate, then made his way to the golf course Hurley had designed during their first week on the island. To his surprise, Hurley, Michael, Charlie, Boone, Sayid, Jin, and Sawyer were all standing around, obviously waiting on him. He jogged over to the group.

"Hey guys," he greeted everyone. "I, uh, I guess we're more than a foursome today." He dropped his backpack to the ground.

Shrugs all around. "Well, the girls declared an impromptu girls' afternoon," Charlie told him. "I think they were going swimming or something. No guys allowed. And Locke and Eko both disappeared into the jungle a while ago, so we don't have anyone pushing us into the construction projects….well, Michael tried, but we outnumbered him," he said, flashing a grin at Michael. "So here we are."

Their makeshift gold game took several hours and they were all pleasantly tired when they finally laid down the clubs. Coming to a small outcropping of rocks, the group of men flopped down and dug around for their water bottles.

"So, Stay Puft," Sawyer began conversationally, turning towards Hurley. "What's this I hear about you and Moonbeam…ah…gettin' busy?" He grinned.

"Where…uh, where did you hear that?" Hurley stammered. "I mean, uh, well, we haven't…I mean, nothing has….I've just asked her out, dude."

"You dog!" Sawyer punched Hurley on the shoulder. Hurley looked down at the ground.

"Man, what is it with you guys and your dates?" Michael asked, amused. "It's like, all of a sudden, everybody's hooking up? What is it, something in the water?" They all laughed.

"Hey, come on, admit it, this island's kinda like a scene in a cheesy porno," Boone commented. "'Course, if this were a porno, they'd be getting busy with each other and we'd all be happier." More laughter.

"You know, I took several anthropology, psychology, and sociology courses during the short time I was at the university," Sayid began once the laughter had died down. "Frankly, what is happening here is a very natural thing."

"What the hell you talkin' 'bout, Muhammad?" Sawyer asked, trying to look disinterested, although it was obvious that he was intrigued by Sayid's comment.

"Well, first, sex is a very natural response to those who survive a disaster," Sayid replied, amused at the rapt attention the rest of the men were paying him at the moment. "I am quite surprised it has taken this long for most of us to, ah, 'get busy,' to borrow Sawyer's refined term."

"Hey, it's not for lack of trying," Charlie interjected, causing more laughter.

"Well, that part is true, too, I suppose," Sayid said, shrugging his shoulders and grinning broadly. "But things have moved beyond that point, now," he continued. "It is no longer just a matter of sex. We are beginning to settle down into pairs. That, friends, is the basis of a community – which I see us beginning to build here, on this island."

"So what's next? Marriage and babies?" Boone asked jokingly.

"History would suggest it is so," Sayid replied easily, enjoying the looks that passed over Jack's and Charlie's faces at the suggestion.

"Whoa, hold it there, Al Jazeera," Sawyer said, holding out his hands in front of him. "Just 'cause some of y'all are gettin' some action around here now don't mean that the rest of us still ain't tryin' to find a way off this island."

Sayid shrugged again. "I did not say that I've quit watching the sky for planes and the sea for ships every day. I merely stated that we've been here for three months now and haven't seen the first sign of the outside world."

Jack spoke up. "He's right, you know. I mean, I know this is no one's first choice of a place to settle down. But it could be a hell of a lot worse."

"Easy for you to say, Doctor 'I'm-gettin'-some-now'," Sawyer shot back.

"Oh, come on, Sawyer," Boone teased. "We've all seen you and Ana Lucia together a lot lately." Catcalls from the rest of the group followed.

Sawyer flipped his middle finger around the circle. "Yeah, that's going real well," he said. "I think I've got an indention in the back of my head from her smacking me so often." The rest of them tried to hide their laughter, but ultimately failed miserably.

"That lady's gonna keep you on your toes for sure, pal," Jack gasped, still breathless with laughter at the thought of Ana Lucia smacking Sawyer around.

"Fuck, off, Doc," Sawyer said, but there was no real hostility behind his words.

"Hey, I've got a question," Hurley said. The group looked over at him. "What do you guys miss most about home?"

They all thought for a minute. "Coffee," Michael said eventually.

"McDonald's," said Boone.

"Easy access to medical supplies." That was Jack.

"Beer," said Sawyer.

"Uh….cleaning?" said Jin, whose English was improving everyday, making motions of washing his body with soap and brushing his teeth. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"A real bed," said Charlie.

"Coca-cola," Sayid said.

"So, what about you, big guy?" Sawyer asked Hurley. "What do you miss most?"

"Well, I guess I'd have to go with Charlie and say a real bed," Hurley said after thinking for a moment. "Okay, next part."

"What the fuck?" Sawyer groaned. "What is this shit, some kind of bonding ritual? What are we, women now?" Jack told him to shut up.

"No, really," Hurley insisted. "Okay, so we all miss these things that we all probably took for granted in the real world. But how easy has it been to live without them here? I mean, don't you think some of what we've gained here kinda makes up for it?"

"Ooohhh, that's deep," Sawyer said sarcastically, earning another "shut up" from Jack.

"No, I get what you mean, man," Michael said to Hurley. "My life in L.A. was okay, sure, but I didn't have Walt there. And there was some definite hostility when I first went to Australia to get him. I think it'd still be there if we've gotten back to L.A. without crashing here. Being here has given us some time to get to know each other."

"Being here's forced me to give up the heroin," Charlie put in, looking nervously around the group. "Well, being here with drill sergeant Locke," he added, earning laughter from around the circle.

"Well, I know I complained about not having the medical supplies I needed here," Jack began. "But I like being a doctor here a lot better that I do in L.A.. I feel like I'm really doing something here. I mean, I had a good reputation in L.A., but there were also thousands of other surgeons who could do my job as well."

"See what I mean?" Hurley said. "I mean, yeah, it sucks being here a lot of the time. But I think we can survive here if we have to. I think it could be an okay life."

Silence fell over the group of men as they pondered Hurley's words.

-------------------

The next afternoon, Libby was walking along the shore when she suddenly felt two people rush up on either side of her and take hold of her arms.

"God, you guys scared me to death!" she exclaimed a little breathlessly as Kate and Shannon increased the death grips they had on her arms. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Well, right now we're showing you that we're furious that you didn't tell us that you have a date with Hurley tonight," Shannon replied, resisting Libby's attempts to free her arm.

"And after we're done with that, we're going to drag you to Shannon's tent and get you ready for your date," Kate added.

"Guys, it's not necessarily, really," Libby protested, managing to free herself. "I mean, thank you, thank you so much…it's just that, well, you don't have to," she finished lamely.

Kate and Shannon exchanged looks. "But we want to," Shannon told Libby.

"Yeah, come on, don't deny us the fun!" Kate said.

"Well…." Libby was unconvinced.

"Oh, come on," Shannon said exasperatedly. "Sun, Claire, Jude, and even Ana Lucia are waiting up in my shelter. Let's go!"

Libby sighed and allowed herself to be dragged up the beach.

-------------------

"So how long have things been going on with Hurley?" Claire asked Libby once they were settled in Shannon's tent, clothes spread everywhere.

"Oh, well, uh, for awhile now, I guess," Libby stammered shyly, still feeling like the newcomer of the group.

"He hasn't stopped watching you since you guys first showed up here," Kate told her, smiling at the blush that crept up Libby's sweet face at the words. "He's been totally into you since day one."

"Hurley's a really great guy," Shannon put in, holding up a pale pink sleeveless blouse up against Libby's chest.

"Yeah, he is," Claire agreed, shaking her head at Shannon's clothing choice. "I've always thought that women who couldn't look past a guy's physical appearance and see what was underneath were fools. Hurley's a perfect example of that," she added smiling at Libby.

"You know, when I first met Hurley, his size was the last thing I noticed," Libby told the group of women, and they could see that she was telling the truth. "I was having trouble fixing the tarp covering my tent….it kept slipping off to one side every time I tried to secure it. He ran over to help me. He was holding the tarp in front of him, so all I could see was his face. His eyes….I've never seen anything like them. He made me feel safe, something I hadn't felt since we first crashed here." Libby stopped suddenly as her blush deepened. "Sorry, I can't believe I'm telling you guys all this," she said.

"Why on earth not?" Kate asked, moved by Libby's words about Hurley.

"I just don't usually spill my guts to strangers, that's all," Libby said.

"Hey, I think we're quickly moving past the 'strangers' stage," Ana Lucia jumped in. "I mean, this is –what? – the third time in just a few days that we've done this girly-girl bonding ritual?"

"She's got a point," Sun agreed, twisting Libby's hair into a knot at the base of her head and anchoring it with a clip. Shannon and Kate ohhed and ahhed over her appearance.

"Don't you guys think it's funny how easily we've slipped into this….I don't know…this, like, well, a community, I guess, is the word I'm looking for," Claire said. Shannon and Kate looked at her questioningly. "I mean, people are starting to pair up, we're starting to build more permanent shelters and other things like that….it's like we're kind of just accepting that this may be our life from now on."

The group of women looked around at one another as they thought about Claire's words.

-------------------

Jack was bending over his cart of medical supplies when he felt a stinging smack across his ass. He turned around and saw Kate standing there, trying hard to suppress her giggles.

"Sorry, it was just such an appealing target," she said, her eyes shining brightly.

"Yeah, well, so's your mouth," Jack replied, grabbing her around the waist and crushing his lips against hers in a passionate kiss that lasted for several long moments before they both pulled away breathlessly.

"Why, Dr. Shephard, you may just turn my head," Kate said in her best Scarlett O'Hara voice.

"I'll turn more than that," Jack said, winking at her before turning his attention back to his medical supplies. "So whatcha been up to today?"

"Just helping Libby get ready for her date with Hurley," Kate told him, perching on a nearby rock and contenting herself with watching him work.

"Oh, yeah?" Jack asked, his back to her. "Hurley's been kinda excited about it himself."

"She'll be good for him, I think," Kate said. "And him for her, too," she added.

Jack shrugged. "Hurley's a good guy. He deserves to have something good happen to him for once."

Kate nodded in agreement. "Hey, I'm going to go snag us some fruit for dinner," she told him. "Are you going to be around here in an hour or so?"

Jack nodded in affirmation. "I'm going to chop some wood right over there," he said, pointing to a small clearing a few feet away from their cave.

"'Kay. I'll be back in a little while," Kate said, turning to leave.

"Wait, aren't you forgetting something?" Jack asked from behind her.

"No, I…" she stopped as Jack spun her around and kissed her until her toes curled.

"I love you," he added as he released her.

"I love you, too," she replied as she started off in the direction of the fruit groves.

-------------------

It was just beginning to grow dark when Kate returned to the caves, her pack full of fruit, water, and some of the fish that Jin had caught and roasted earlier that day. She heard the thud of an ax coming from the clearing and moved in that direction.

The sight made her stop in her tracks. Jack was shirtless, his bare chest and arms glistening with sweat. The top button of his jeans was unfastened, giving him a careless yet sexy appearance. As she moved closer, she heard him singing softly to himself as he gathered the wood he had been chopping. Heart pounding, Kate made her way over to him, dropping her pack silently onto the ground a few feet away. Close enough now, she slipped her arms around his waist.

Jack jumped slightly at the movement and glanced over his shoulder. "Hey," he said to her, turning to embrace her.

"Hi," she replied into his bare chest. They stood for several moments, each enjoying the feel of the other's body.

"Jack?" Kate asked.

"Hmmm?" he replied into her hair.

"What were you singing earlier?"

"What? Oh, before you came up? Uhhh…_One_. U2," he added at Kate's confused look.

"No, I know the song," she told him. "Just never figured on you being much of a U2 fan," she teased him.

"Oh, hell, yeah," he said. "Bono rocks." Kate giggled at his words.

"Jack?" she asked again a few moments later.

"Yeah?"

"Sing to me."

Jack was silent for a moment, then began to sway lightly, moving his arms down to Kate's waist.

_Is it getting better  
Or do you feel the same  
Will it make it easier on you now  
You got someone to blame  
You say..._

_One love  
One life  
When it's one need  
In the night  
One love  
We get to share it  
Leaves you baby if you  
Don't care for it_

_Did I disappoint you  
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth  
You act like you never had love  
And you want me to go without  
Well it's..._

_Too late  
Tonight  
To drag the past out into the light  
We're one, but we're not the same  
We get to  
Carry each other  
Carry each other  
One..._

As darkness fell over the island, Jack and Kate danced together for the first time, their bodies moving in the easy rhythm of lovers who know each other's bodies well.

"Jack?" Kate whispered.

"Yeah?" he replied, his voice ragged and raw.

"I want you right now," she told him, her breath coming in short gasps. "I need you."

"I'm all yours, baby," Jack managed. "All yours." He gathered her up in his arms and carried her back to their cave, where he lay her down on the airplane cushions that served as their bed, easily removing her clothing as he did so. He then quickly shed his own jeans and lay next to her.

Kate pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him. "No, mine," she said possessively as he tried to regain control from her. "Please, Jack, let me take care of you for once," she pleaded. Jack nodded, not trusting his voice, and dropped his hands to his sides.

Kate nudged him over so that he was lying on his stomach. Draping her body across his, she began at the base of his neck and used her warm, wet tongue to lick small circles across his shoulders and upper back. She worked her way down his back, eliciting moans from him each time she rubbed her breasts across his hot skin.

She added her hands once she reached his ass. Kneading him in her hands, she used her mouth on the sensitive area where his thighs met his buttocks and was rewarded with a jerk and a loud moan. She continued down the backs of his legs, rubbing and licking his sensitive skin.

Kate gasped in surprise and pleasure when, at her gentle prodding, Jack rolled over onto his back. She had never before seen him so large and so hard. It took every ounce of her self-control not to plunge him into her at that very moment.

Kate looked deep into Jack's eyes. Her heart gave a jerk when she saw the love and desire in them. She laid her lips against his, lightly at first, then with increasing pressure. His lips parted beneath hers and she used her tongue to explore every inch of his mouth.

After several moments, she pulled away and began to nibble at his earlobe. She moved her lips along his neckline, then down to his chest. Her fingers flicked at his hardened nipples, then, taking his deep sigh as a sign of encouragement, she took each one into her mouth, gently licking and biting as she felt him grow even harder beneath her. She moved her lips along his stomach and, purposely by-passing his cock for the moment, began to place a series of kisses and nibbles along his inner thighs. Just when Jack thought he might pass out from the sensations, she took him into her mouth and sucked him down her throat.

Jack gave a short cry and buried his hands in her hair. His blood boiled as he struggled to keep from coming, desperate to hold onto the sensations for a few moments longer. He pushed himself up on his elbows and was rewarded with the sight of her mouth, her perfect, hot, wet mouth, moving up and down the length of him like she never meant to stop. The sight, along with the feeling of her mouth on him, sent him to the edge. Just as he was about to go over, she moved her mouth away.

"No!" she said sharply, moving her body on top of his and placing his throbbing cock at her entrance, which was now glistening with wetness. "Inside me," she ordered, and pushed herself down onto him. She rode him for several minutes, his hands alternating between kneading her breasts and toying with her clit.

Jack could feel the sensations beginning to build again. "Sorry, baby," he managed, pulling himself out of her and pushing her over onto her hands and knees. "I have to…I just have to…I need…." he panted as he shoved himself into her from behind. She screamed at the sudden intrusion, relishing the primal feel of the position. Jack held onto her hips as he pounded into her, not wanting to hurt her but at the same time unable to control himself.

Kate was on the edge of the abyss. His final thrust, harder than anything she'd ever experienced before, shoved her over the edge, bringing Jack with her as she fell. She felt her insides filling up with his release as he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily.

It was several minutes before Jack eased himself out of her and flopped down on his back. Kate shook out the kinks in her knees, then joined him.

"How is it that every time is better than the time before?" Kate asked him in wonderment.

Jack chuckled and pulled her closer. "I don't know, but I hope it continues that way forever," he said.

Kate smiled at his words. _Forever_, she thought, as she drifted off to sleep….

-------------------

**Okay, I know I promised last time that I'd get to Hurley and Libby's date in Chapter 13, but it's already getting really long and that sex scene just about wiped me out:o) So next chapter will be the date, some Sawyer and Ana-Lucia flirting, and…someone's pregnant!**


	14. Chapter 14

Hurley was nervous as he made his way over to Libby's tent. _Please, please don't let me do anything dumb or say the wrong thing or make too many bad jokes_, he thought. _Please let me be cool for just once in my life._

Libby had seen him coming and stepped out of her shelter to meet him. Despite her earlier protests, she was glad the girls had insisted on loaning her nice clothes and jewelry for the evening.

"Wow," Hurley said as he reached her side. "You look really pretty tonight, Libby."

Libby colored slightly, smiling her sweet smile at Hurley. "Thank you," she said softly.

Hurley gestured up the beach. "Ready to walk a little ways?" he asked.

Libby nodded, then kicked off the borrowed sandals. "Too hard to walk in the sand," she explained at Hurley's questioning look. He laughed and took her arm, gently steering her up the beach.

They walked for about thirty minutes, talking about nothing in particular – the weather, Eko's newest building, some of the relationships that were forming on the island. Soon they rounded a bend and came to a secluded beach that Sayid had shown Hurley earlier that day. The sand was whiter here than it was on their beach, giving it a sugar-like appearance as it created a half-moon shape surrounding an aquamarine lagoon.

Libby gasped at the beauty of it. "Oh, Hurley, this place is amazing!" she exclaimed, mesmerized at the sight. "It's like something out of an old pirate movie or something," she added, blushing again when she realized how silly that sounded.

Hurley caught her blush. "No, that's just what I thought when Sayid first showed me this place," he told her earnestly. "I mean, you have to wonder how come the sand is so white here and why the water takes on that greenish color and why it's so clear…." He trailed off, wondering if he was talking too much. "So anyway," he said, clearing his throat. "You, uh, you wanna sit down or something?" At Libby's nod, he spread a blanket out on the ground.

Libby sat, then leaned back on her elbows. Hurley sat cross-legged next to her. He pulled a water bottle and two cups out of his pack. He poured Libby a glass of the mango-and-vodka concoction that had become Rose's specialty.

"Wow, that's great," Libby said after her first sip. "Hey, look at that!" she added, pointing toward the horizon. The sun was just beginning to set, casting rays of vivid purples, reds, and oranges across the sparkling water.

"Yeah, the sunsets are one of the best things about being here," Hurley said, admiring the colors. "I mean, uh, we have sunsets in L.A. but you can hardly see them with the smog and all."

Libby nodded. "I know what you mean," she said, taking another sip of her juice. "We used to have this cabin up at Lake Tahoe and my favorite part of going there was actually being able to see the sun rise and set."

Hurley frowned a little at her words. "Uh, 'we'?" he asked with uncertainty in his voice.

Libby looked away. She hadn't meant to say that, hadn't wanted to go into such details tonight. "Um, yeah, my husband and I," she said, still not looking at Hurley.

"You're married?" Hurley asked, hoping that the disappointment he felt wasn't evident in his voice. _Well, that figures_, he thought to himself.

"Not anymore," Libby said flatly. "My husband passed away about six months ago."

Hurley felt instantly relieved, then ashamed for feeling that way. "Geez, Libby, that's rough," he said sympathetically. "How, uh….I mean, what happened?"

"Car accident," Libby replied, finally looking up. "It's why I was in Sydney, actually. Everyone convinced me to take some time off after….after it happened. Sydney was a place David had always wanted to go and so I felt like going there would be something I could do for him."

Hurley pursed his lips, not knowing quite what to say. _Crap, I suck at things like this_, he thought remorsefully.

Libby looked at him sharply. "Hurley, did you think I was going to tell you that I was still married?" Libby asked him.

Hurley shrugged his shoulders. "Woulda been my luck," he said finally, not meeting Libby's eyes. "Every time I, well, like a girl, something seems to go wrong."

Libby smiled, her heart melting at his vulnerability. "Hurley, look at me," she said softly, reaching out and placing her hand on his cheek. "Look at me," she said again. He finally brought his eyes up to meet hers. "Hurley, I like you, too," she whispered, leaning in and brushing her lips against his in a soft, sweet kiss.

Hurley reached up and covered her small hand with his larger one. Breathless, Libby finally pulled away, her lips, slightly reddened and swollen from the kiss, curved into a small smile. Hurley put his arm around her and gently guided her down onto the blanket, pulling her towards him as he settled down beside her. They lay together as the sun finished its descent into the sea and the first stars begin to dot the sky.

Hurley knew he'd always remember this moment.

-------------------

Darkness had settled over the island. Sawyer threw another couple of logs onto his fire and settled back against a tree truck, staring moodily into the orange flames. He looked up when a figure passing by caused a long shadow across the sand.

"Well, if it ain't Ana-Banana," he drawled smoothly, looking up at her. "What brings you over this way?"

Ana-Lucia shrugged, her hands shoved into the back pockets of her jeans. "No one better to talk to, so…" she trailed off. Then she cleared her throat. "Uh, can I sit?"

Sawyer gestured grandly at the sand next to him. "Be my guest, darlin'."

Ana-Lucia plopped down, readjusting her backside in the soft sand several times before finding a comfortable position. She leaned back on her elbows and stared at Sawyer's fire. They sat in silence for several minutes.

"So, uh, how'd the golf game yesterday go?" Ana-Lucia said, finally breaking the silence.

"Just peachy," Sawyer said sarcastically. "All that male bonding shit is just my style, don'cha know?" Ana-Lucia chuckled softly. "And what about you, chica? How did the hair-and-make-up routine go for you?"

Ana-Lucia shrugged again. "Not terrible," she admitted. "Not _too_ terrible, anyway," she amended when Sawyer started to laugh.

"Aww, does that mean I lost the bet?" Sawyer asked her, laughing at the image of the tough girl sitting next to him being "one of the girls."

"I don't know," Ana-Lucia admitted. "I guess I lost, too, because you know you ended up having a good time out there with the boys yesterday." Two days ago, after downing a few bottles of tequila from Sawyer's secret stash in a game of "I Never," they had made a bet that neither could participate in one of the increasingly frequent bonding activities on the island without either pissing someone off or getting pissed off themselves.

"Well, guess we'll have to call it a draw then," Sawyer said, throwing another log onto the fire. "Imagine that, the pair of us actually fitting in with the clique 'round here."

"Hey, don't push it," Ana-Lucia warned. "Knowing you, I'm sure you'll do something obnoxious in the next day or two that's guaranteed to piss everyone off and you'll go back to being a pariah once again."

Sawyer shrugged. "Guess that's a possibility," he admitted. "But you never know. I may just be turning over a new leaf."

Ana-Lucia snorted. "Yeah, I'll believe that one when I see it." She laughed and leaned back into the sand again.

-------------------

The moon was high in the sky when Hurley and Libby finally arrived back at Libby's tent. They had talked for hours that night, each just enjoying the feel of the other's arms, neither feeling the need to take things further. There was plenty of time.

They stopped in front of Libby's tent. "Hurley, I had a wonderful time tonight," she said, caressing the hand that held hers tightly. "I'm really glad we were able to spend some time together away from everyone else."

"Yeah, uh, me too," Hurley told her. "Look, Libby, is this, uh, something that you might…well, that you'd maybe want to do again?" His voice was hopeful.

Libby smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "You even have to ask?" she said playfully. "Goodnight, Hurley," she added, disappearing into her tent.

"Goodnight, Libby," he said, smiling broadly as he walked back toward his own tent.

-------------------

Shannon awoke early the next morning and attempted to ease out of bed without waking Sayid. She dressed quickly and made her way down the well-worn path leading from the beach to the caves. Kate was washing clothes in a small pool several hundred yards away from the cave where she lived with Jack. She was humming softly – _U2,_ thought Shannon, _how interesting_ – as she wrung out one of Jack's shirts and draped it over the clothesline she had rigged.

"Hey, girl," she called out as she got closer.

Kate looked up and smiled. "Morning," she replied, reaching for another shirt.

"You're awfully smiley this morning," Shannon commented as she reached down to help Kate with the remaining clothes. Kate blushed and looked over towards the cave that had been designated the infirmary where Jack was busy examining Jade's swollen ankle. Shannon caught the look.

"Oh, I get it," Shannon laughed, causing Kate's blush to deepen. "Slut," she added teasingly, throwing her hand up to block the sopping wet shorts that Kate had tossed at her. They laughed together and turned back to the laundry.

"So, listen, Kate, I need to, uh, ask you something," Shannon said after a few moments of silence.

"Shoot."

"Okay, well, see, the thing is…." Shannon trailed off nervously.

Kate turned her full attention on Shannon. "Shannon, what is it?" she asked, beginning to worry. "Come on, you can tell me."

Shannon sighed. "Okay, I need a favor."

"Of course, anything," Kate said, puzzled.

Shannon paused for a moment, then continued. "I need you to swipe something from Jack's stash for me," she said.

Kate's eyes widened. "Shannon, what could you possibly need that you can't just ask him for?"

Shannon sighed, blew out a breath. "A pregnancy test."


	15. Chapter 15

**Previously on _Somewhere off the Coast of Nowhere_…**

_(Hurley and Libby in a secluded cove)_

_Hurley put his arm around her and gently guided her down onto the blanket, pulling her towards him as he settled down beside her. They lay together as the sun finished its descent into the sea and the first stars begin to dot the sky._

_(Sawyer and Ana-Lucia on the beach)_

_Sawyer shrugged. "Guess that's a possibility," he admitted. "But you never know. I may just be turning over a new leaf."_

_Ana-Lucia snorted. "Yeah, I'll believe that one when I see it." She laughed and leaned back into the sand again._

_(Kate and Shannon washing clothes near the caves)_

_Shannon paused for a moment, then continued. "I need you to swipe something from Jack's stash for me," she said._

_…_

_Shannon sighed, blew out a breath. "A pregnancy test."_

**-------------------**

Kate exhaled slowly. "A what?" she asked, more because she needed the time to process Shannon's statement rather than because she required an answer.

Tears pooled in Shannon's huge blue eyes. "Come on, Kate, you heard me," she pleaded. "Please don't make this harder on me."

Kate shook her head and wrapped her arms around Shannon. "I'm sorry, sweetie," she said, releasing Shannon. "You just gave me a shock, that's all."

Shannon swiped at her eyes. "Yeah, well, imagine how I've been feeling for the past few days."

Kate glanced over towards the infirmary where Jack was now looking over at them with a questioning look on his face. She shook her head slightly at him, then turned back to Shannon. "Okay, let's go somewhere and talk about this. I can't get over to Jack's stash right now anyways….I'm gonna have to wait until he goes to the beach or something."

Shannon nodded and allowed Kate to lead her away from the pile of unfinished laundry. The walked for several minutes in silence, finally coming to a small clearing about half a mile from the caves. They sat down and Kate rooted around in her backpack, finally pulling out a bottle of water and a banana, which she handed to Shannon.

Shannon waved them away. "I can't even think about eating right now," she said.

Kate pushed them towards her. "Shannon, it's more important than ever that you eat amd stay hydrated," she insisted. Shannon took the proffered items reluctantly. "Good," Kate said encouragingly. "Now, do you want to tell me what happened?"

Shannon swallowed the bite she'd just taken, washing it down with a sip of water from the bottle Kate had given her. She sighed heavily, then began to speak. "I don't really know what to say. My period's late, I've been nauseous from sun-up to sun-down, my boobs ache…everything's pointing towards pregnancy." She paused and sighed again. "I guess I don't even really need the test. I know it's true."

Kate nodded. "Well, it sure sounds like it…Shannon, don't you think you need to talk to Jack about this? He's the doctor."

Shannon shook her head vehemently. "No, not until I know for sure."

Kate wisely backed off of that subject. "Okay, so…Shannon, I have to ask you. Is it Sayid's?"

Shannon hesitated for a moment before nodding her head, but it was enough for Kate to recognize uncertainty. "Shannon?" she prodded gently. "Shannon, I can't help you here unless I know what's going on."

Shannon buried her face in her hands. "Oh, Kate, it's so messed up!" she wailed.

Kate patted her back. "Shannon, it's all gong to be okay. Just tell me what's going on."

Shannon took a deep breath. "Okay. I think it's Sayid's baby…I'm pretty sure it is. But…"

Kate nodded encouragingly. "But what?"

"Well, my period was due about three weeks after we crashed on the island," Shannon continued. "But it never came. I know that's not unusual," she rushed on, seeing that Kate was about to interrupt her. "I mean, with the stress and the huge change in diet and everything. I remember you saying you had missed that first month, too, and so did Libby and Jade." She paused, took a sip of water. "Based on my regular cycles, I was due again about ten days ago. It hasn't come yet."

Kate took all this in. "Okay, but I don't know how that leads to you not being sure who the father of your baby is."

Shannon looked down at the ground. "I was living with a man named Derrick in Sydney. We would've been together…let's see…probably a week before the crash. That would have been really early in my cycle, so I really don't think I could've gotten pregnant then. But…." She trailed off uneasily.

"Shannon?" Kate prodded again.

Shannon looked up. "Okay, Kate, I'll tell you, but you have to promise you will never tell _anyone_ what I'm about to tell you. Not Jack, not anyone, not ever. Promise?" Kate nodded. "Well, you know that Boone is my step-brother, not my real brother, right?" Kate nodded again, although she wasn't sure she wanted to know where this was going. "We were both teenagers when our parents got married and Boone…well, he always kinda had a crush on me. Nothing ever happened," she rushed on, seeing the look on Kate's face. "Well, nothing ever happened back then. But he came to Sydney to help me move my stuff back to the States. Derrick and I had just broken up and Boone and I were fighting about everything and, well, it just sort of happened. It was the night before we boarded the plane."

Kate was silent for a moment, not really knowing what to say. "Okay, so you're thinking that you might have missed last month because you were already pregnant – by Boone – and not because of the stress and everything else?" Shannon nodded. "When did you sleep with Sayid for the first time?" she asked.

"Ummm…it was about three weeks after the crash," Shannon said.

Kate was busy working all this out in her head. "Too bad those damn tests can't tell you how far along you are," she said, making Shannon smile for the first time since they'd began talking.

"Kate, what am I going to do?" Shannon asked her.

Kate stood up. "First of all, you need to take a test and make sure you're really pregnant. I mean, there's no point in getting stressed about this if it's not even true. Then…" she took a deep breath. "I think the best thing to do is assume the baby is Sayid's. There's nothing we can do to tell otherwise until it's born and I really think it will just cause a great deal of unwanted drama if you try to work it all out ahead of time. If the baby is born and it's obvious that it's Boone's, well, then we'll deal with that when it and if it comes. What's so funny?" she demanded, seeing Shannon smile at her again.

Shannon shook her head and stood up. "You. You're getting more and more like Jack every day," she teased, glad that the mood had lightened some. She felt one hundred percent better…she knew Kate was right.

Kate laughed along with her. "I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or not, but thanks anyway!" she said. "Now, let's go get a test." She hooked her arm though Shannon's and they left the clearing together.

**-------------------**

"Whew, I thought I was going to have to take my shirt off to distract him enough for you to snatch that test!" Kate giggled as she and Shannon made their way along the path to the beach. She had lured Jack away from the infirmary with passionate kisses and a detailed description of what she had planned for them that night so Shannon could grab a pregnancy test from his neatly organized stash.

Shannon laughed with her. "Yeah, like you would have really minded that!" She rolled her eyes skyward.

"No, I wouldn't have minded at all," Kate agreed. "But you would've had to wait a lot longer for me to come and do this test with you!"

"Hey, don't you think Jack is going to notice that the box is missing?" Shannon asked worriedly. "I mean, he keeps everything so neat. He'll know, I know he will."

"Of course he'll notice," Kate said with a careless shrug. "But probably not until after you've had a chance to take the test and tell Sayid. You know Jack has to know eventually anyway, right?"

"I guess," Shannon said slowly.

They reached the beach a few minutes later.

"So, you want to do this in your shelter?" Kate asked Shannon. She didn't know why _she_ was feeling nervous – she wasn't the one taking the test!

Shannon shook her head. "Can't," she said. "Sayid is doing some remodeling." She pointed over to where Sayid and Eko were using an array of bamboo poles to make actual walls for the shelter he and Shannon shared. Sayid looked over towards them and gave a small wave before turning back to his work.

"Aw, that's sweet," Kate said. "So your shelter is out and so is my old one – I let Hurley take the tarps to enlarge Libby's shelter a bit." She bit her lip and thought. Then she sighed. "Okay, I got it. Let's go."

**-------------------**

"Well, lookee here," Sawyer drawled from his reclining position in front of his shelter. "Freckles and Sticks, in the flesh. What can I do you for, ladies?"

"We need to use your shelter for a minute," Kate told him, bracing herself for the retort that was sure to follow.

"Only if I'm invited to the party, too," he smirked, lowering his sunglasses and openly leering at the two women.

"You're a pig," Kate said automatically, although she had to struggle to keep from grinning at his absurd remarks. "Come on, Sawyer, don't be a jackass. Just a few minutes, okay?"

Sawyer heard the tone in her voice and looked down at the box Shannon was vainly attempting to conceal in her hands. He understood immediately and decided to play the Nice Guy card for a change. "Sure, help yourselves," he drawled, gesturing towards the tent flap and settling back into his chair. "Let me know if you need any help, though, would ya?" He winked at them. "And if you're gonna be all vocal and shit, please do it loud enough for me to hear, hmm?"

**-------------------**

"Here, pee in this instead of trying to pee on that tiny stick," Kate said, handing Shannon a cup. "Then you can just dip the stick in the cup. Makes it a lot easier," she added.

"Okay," Shannon said taking the cup. "Could you, uh, turn around for a minute?"

"Sure," Kate turned and heard the sounds of Shannon unzipping her shorts and urinating into the cup Kate had given her. After she was done, Kate turned back around and handed her the test. "Okay, make sure the entire tip is submerged – good, like that," she encouraged as Shannon did as Kate instructed. "Now, count to fifteen."

It was a long fifteen seconds. Shannon finally pulled the stick from the cup and replaced the cap. "Now what?" she asked Kate nervously.

"Now we wait a few minutes," Kate said apprehensively.

"Uh, Kate, we don't have to wait," Shannon said, glancing down at the stick. She held it up for Kate to see. A plus sign had formed in the tiny window. She suddenly felt dizzy and plopped down onto Sawyer's bed.

"How are you feeling? Are you okay?" Kate asked, joining Shannon on the bed.

Shannon looked up. "Yes, I'm fine. No, I'm great!" she burst out laughing. "I'm going to have a baby!" She threw her arms around Kate, who returned the hug happily.

Shannon pulled away and wiped her eyes. "Wow, I'm...I don't even know what I am right now. I have to…I need to…I have to tell Sayid!" She jumped up and dashed for the flap that was covering the door of Sawyer's shelter. "Oh, Kate?" she added, once she'd reached it.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks so much…for everything," Shannon said gratefully.

"No problem, " Kate said, smiling at her as she left the tent. A few seconds later, Sawyer stuck his head through the flap.

"Well, Sticks ran off like she was on fire," he commented. "Good news, I guess?"

Kate nodded. "Keep it to yourself for awhile, though, okay, bigmouth?" She playfully shoved him aside and left the tent.

"Aw, you wound me, Freckles," Sawyer groaned at Kate's retreating back. Then he rolled his eyes. _Another_ crying baby around here? Maybe _he_ should move to the caves!

**-------------------**

Shannon was nervously wringing her hands as she made her way up the beach to the shelter she shared with Sayid. Sayid looked up and saw her coming, then laid down the saw he had been using and strolled down to meet her.

"Hello, beautiful lady," he said, placing a light kiss on her lips. "I would hug you, but I'm not sure you'd want me to do that just now," he added gesturing towards his sweat-covered body.

Shannon smiled at him. "I kinda like you all hot and sweaty," she teased, eliciting a grin from the tall Iraqi. "Looks great," she added, nodding her head at the structure that was quickly taking shape in place of her old tent.

"I'm glad you like it," Sayid said, taking a long gulp from his water bottle. "Well, I must to get back to…"

Shannon cut him off. "Sayid, could we go somewhere and talk for a minute?" she asked him.

Sayid frowned slightly, not sure what to make of the tone her voice had suddenly taken. He nodded. "Just let me tell Eko." Shannon waited while Sayid spoke a few words to Eko, then jogged back to where she stood in the sand. "Let's walk down the beach."

They strolled in silence for a few minutes, their joined hands swinging between their bodies. Finally, Sayid broke the silence. "Shannon, I do not think I am mistaken in the fact that you have something you wish to tell me."

Shannon nodded and stopped suddenly, turning to face him. "Sayid, I'm pregnant."

Sayid was quiet for a moment. Then his face broke into a huge grin. He grabbed Shannon around the waist and lifted her into the air, spinning them both around until they fell, dizzy, onto the sand. "Shannon, this is wonderful news," Sayid said, slightly short of breath. "I can't believe…I mean, I had hoped that one day, maybe…but I never thought…"

Shannon laughed at his obvious excitement. "I know, me neither," she agreed, resting her head on his shoulder as he reached around her back to pull her close to him.

"Have you told anyone else yet?" Sayid asked, still not able to control the grin on his face.

"Just Kate," Shannon told him. "I didn't want to take the test by myself."

Sayid nodded. "You need to let Jack know," he said, pulling her to her feet. "He'll need to watch over you and monitor you and…well, he'll know what to do." They started back up the beach. "Now, I must get back to work on our new home," Sayid said as they neared the camp. He pulled her close to him. "A home for the three of us," he added, laying his hand gently across Shannon's stomach.

**-------------------**

Dusk was just settling over the island when Kate finally made her way back to the caves. Jack was in still in the infirmary, cleaning up a bloody pile of rags from his earlier treatment of a cut on Locke's hand.

She sneaked up behind him and put her arms around his waist. "Hey, gorgeous," she said, placing a kiss on his shoulder blade.

He turned around and encircled her waist in a similar manner. "Hello, beautiful," he returned, lowering his lips to hers in a kiss that made her knees weak. She perched on a rock once he had released her.

"So, is Shannon pregnant or not?" Jack asked conversationally, turning back to his supplies.

Kate grimaced, then sighed, knowing she was busted. "Hey, it was her call, not mine," she said defensively. "And, yeah, she is."

Jack smiled. "I'm happy for them," he said slowly. "But it makes me nervous. I mean, we got lucky with Claire…her delivery was easy compared to what it could have been. But so many things could happen…and I'm not an obstetrician." He paused, blew out a breath. "Well, can't take it back, I guess. We'll just hope for the best. Did she tell Sayid yet?"

"She was on her way to tell him when I left her this afternoon," Kate told him, toying with a small rock in her hand.

"Nice job distracting me, by the way," Jack added, his back still towards Kate. "I actually thought you wanted me." His voice took on a playfully whiney tone.

Kate smiled at his antics. She slid off the rock and walked over to Jack, who turned to face her. She used her arms to draw his body close to hers, then ground her pelvis against his. "Do you know how hard it was for me to leave?" she whispered against his lips. "I've been wet all day," she added, slipping her hands into the waistband of his pants and toying with the hot skin underneath.

Jack groaned as she slid her hands around to the front of his pants and began to slowly slide the zipper down. She unbuttoned them with a flip of her wrist and pushed them down around his ankles, his boxers following them. His hardness, which had been aching ever since their unfinished rendezvous that morning, sprung free and Kate took it into her hands, massaging it gently as she lowered herself onto her knees in front of him.

Jack watched her, mesmerized, as she took him into her mouth in one long gulp. He moaned softly as her lips encircled the base of his cock, then slowly moved back up the length of him, pausing to rub her tongue across the engorged head. She repeated this action several times, moving faster and faster with each stroke of her mouth. Jack felt his orgasm begin to build inside of him and gently pushed her mouth away. She looked puzzled as he pulled her to her feet. He led her over to the infirmary's bed and quickly removed her tank top, shorts, bra, and panties. He lay back on the bed and maneuvered her hips towards his mouth. Finally, she caught on.

Smiling, Kate turned and lowered her dripping wetness onto Jack's waiting mouth and gasped as his tongue plunged into her and began long, slow strokes up and down her slit. She leaned forward and took him into her mouth once again. He moaned against her, sending pleasurable vibrations against her center.

After several minutes of simply enjoying the taste of her, Jack began to focus his attention on Kate's swollen clit. Using his hands to force her hips closer to him, he applied more and more pressure to the sensitive nodule. Kate, responding to his pressure, began to move her mouth along his hardened ridge with more speed, massaging his balls with her free hand.

Kate felt herself losing control. She came hard and fast, her juices pouring onto Jack's face as he continued to lick her. Her deep moans caused vibrations against his cock, which was still inside her mouth, sending waves of pleasure coursing through his body. Kate felt him jerk once, then spill his hot seed deep into her throat. Moving his mouth away from her, he gave a loud gasp as he continued to spurt.

Kate waited until he lay still beneath her to move her mouth away from him. She scooted back up the cot and into his waiting arms, sighing happily as she sunk into them. Jack kissed her forehead.

"Well, I suppose that was worth waiting all day for," he teased her, stroking her dark hair.

Kate grinned wickedly. "Oh, that was just round one, buddy," she told him, maneuvering herself on top of him once again and rubbing her breasts across his bare chest. "I'm not nearly done with you yet."

Jack grinned widely. "Now you know I can't refuse a lady," he drawled in a poor attempt at mimicking Sawyer's Southern twang.

"Shut up," Kate said, lowering her mouth to his in a deep kiss.

Jack decided it was best to obey.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: Okay, I know I've been absolutely terrible about updating this story. I've just been busy with work and lots of other stuff lately (seriously, I've been to the doctor more in the past five and a half months of my pregnancy than I had in the previous 25 years of my life!). And when I do have time to write, I've been focusing more on my What-if? series because, well, because I wanted to. So sue me.**

**Anyway, it's not that I haven't been thinking about Somewhere. I have been – quite a lot, actually. In fact, inspired by a dream I had (and, wow, does pregnancy give you some crazy dreams!), I have actually already written the epilogue to this story. So I know how it's all going to end – what I'm still struggling with is how to get there from here. I know that some serious Jack n' Kate angst is coming up – but you all know that, like the angst in the actual show, it's only temporary because JACK AND KATE BELONG TOGETHER! **

**So…I've decided to treat you to a long, silly, happy, fluffy chapter before diving into what my creative writing professor in college would have called "the main conflict". Enjoy.**

-----------------------------

**Previously on _Somewhere off the Coast of Nowhere_….**

(Kate and Shannon in Sawyer's tent)

Shannon looked up. "Yes, I'm fine. No, I'm great!" she burst out laughing. "I'm going to have a baby!" She threw her arms around Kate, who returned the hug happily.

(Sayid and Shannon walking on the beach)

"_Shannon, I don not think I am mistaken in the fact that you have something you wish to tell me."_

_Shannon nodded and stopped suddenly, turning to face him. "Sayid, I'm pregnant."_

_(Jack and Kate curled up on the bed in post-coital bliss)_

"Well, I suppose that was worth waiting all day for," he teased her, stroking her dark hair.

_-------------------_

ONE MONTH LATER

Kate, Claire and Shannon sat in salvaged airplane chairs on the makeshift front porch of Shannon's recently remodeled hut chatting happily about goings-on around the island – Hurly and Libby's blossoming romance, Ana-Lucia and Sawyer's obvious yet reluctant attraction to one another, Aaron's new tooth, and, of course, Shannon's newly rounded stomach that was growing every day.

"Wow, I can't believe how big you've gotten in only a few months!" Claire exclaimed. "I barely even showed until my fourth month."

"Thanks a lot," Shannon replied sarcastically, her hands laid gently across her small bulge.

Claire grinned sheepishly. "I didn't mean it that way –" she protested half-heartedly as Kate laughed at her fumbling attempts. Shannon tossed a handful of sand at them.

"Okay, so Jack's birthday is coming up soon," Kate said in an attempt to change the subject. "It's three days from now."

"And…" Claire prompted, shifting Aaron, who was asleep in her arms, slightly.

"And I was thinking that it would be fun to throw Jack a surprise party in the hatch on the night of his birthday," Kate finished.

"Oh, that would be fun!" Shannon exclaimed happily.

"It would be nice to loosen things up around here some," Claire agreed. "Everybody's been working so hard on the new huts and the kitchen and the church and everything." The other two nodded.

"So let's get to planning this thing," Kate said and the three jumped into a discussion of food, decorations, and music.

-----------------------------

Pretty soon everyone knew of the upcoming party in the hatch. To Kate's utter amazement, they'd all done a fantastic job of keeping it a secret from Jack. Now, with just a few hours to go, Kate, Shannon, and Claire were putting the final touches on the makeshift decorations that they'd designed to brighten up the hatch's dim interior. Charlie and Boone had been going through the records, picking out those that he claimed were "good party music," while Jade, Ana-Lucia, Libby, and Sun were setting up the massive amounts of food they'd rounded up over the past few days. Even Sawyer had gotten into the act, promising a "major surprise" the night of the party.

"So, where's Jack?" Sun asked as she chopped piles of fruit to be combined into a large fruit salad.

"He's with Hurley," Kate answered, concentrating on stringing a row of bright island flowers into a colorful lei. "Hurley convinced him he needed to take the afternoon off, so they're engaged in a heated battle on the golf course. Hurley has strict orders to keep him busy until six o'clock and then send him to the caves after they're done. I've left a note there telling him to meet me here."

"Sneaky," Ana-Lucia commented and the others laughingly agreed.

"Speaking of sneaky," Claire asked her, "do you have any idea what Sawyer's up to?"

Ana-Lucia shrugged her shoulders. "Not really," she answered, her hands covered in grease from the cooked boar's meat she'd been shredding. "He's been pretty secretive. He's been gathering lots of fruit, though."

They spent the next several minutes pondering what Sawyer could be doing with a bunch of fruit. The answer came a few moments later when he strolled into the hatch carrying two huge jugs of a dark reddish-colored liquid. Sayid followed behind, carrying two more jugs.

"Just call me Jesus," Sawyer announced as he set the jugs on the counter. "I have turned water into wine."

"Really?" Boone asked in amazement.

"No, not really, metro," Sawyer replied sarcastically, although there was no real hostility in his voice. "But I did make wine." He gestured proudly at the jugs.

"No way!" Ana-Lucia exclaimed. "How'd you do that?"

Sawyer shrugged. "Just experimenting', darlin,'" he said. "You know, fermentation of fruit and all that. I snatched some sugar out of the kitchen and, well, it worked. I mean, it's not vintage or anything, but I think it'll do."

Kate grinned and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Sawyer," she said happily. "This will make it a real party!"

-----------------------------

The sun was just beginning to set as Jack made his way to the hatch, anticipating the "birthday surprise" Kate had promised him that morning when she'd woken him up with – he chuckled at the pun – a very pleasurable bang. He had to admit that he'd had a difficult time concentrating while he was on the golf course with Hurley since all he was able to imagine was himself alone with a very sexy, very naked Kate in the hatch – imagined taking her in the small kitchen, in the shower, even on top of the ping-pong table.

Jack shook his head to clear it and open the door that led into the main interior of the hatch. It was strangely quiet.

"Kate?" he called out. "Kate?"

"SURPRISE!" Jack's heart jumped up into his throat as a good forty or so people jumped out from behind sofas and chairs, from underneath table, from inside of doorways. Handfuls of shredded leaves – makeshift confetti – rained over him as Kate emerged from the group, a huge smile on her face, and threw her arms around him.

"Happy birthday, Jack," she whispered into his ear.

"Kate, wow, this is – I mean, I don't even know what to say," Jack said, one arm still wrapped around Kate as he lifted his eyes to survey the crowd gathered in the common area of the hatch. "I haven't had a birthday party in years. All you guys – thanks so much!"

"Here, Jack, you need to get laid," Sawyer commented happily (for he was already several cups into his alcoholic concoction) as he tossed one of Kate's flowered leis around Jack's neck and shoved a cup full of wine into Jack's hand. Jack sipped it and grimaced horribly. Then he looked at it again, as if reconsidering, and shrugged his shoulders, chugging the remainder of the glass. Everyone cheered loudly and Sawyer went to refill the cup. Charlie cranked up the old record player and music poured into the room, blending in with the talking and laughter that signified the most normal evening the survivors had yet spent on the island.

-----------------------------

Rose and Bernard strolled along the shoreline, Aaron comfortably settled in Rose's arms, admiring the setting sun. They had opted out of the party, protesting that they were too old for such revelry. They had generously offered to baby-sit Aaron so that Claire and Charlie could enjoy the party and Claire had gratefully accepted. Bernard had even gone and fetched the baby's cradle from Claire's tent and placed it in his own so that Aaron could spend the night with them, giving Claire and Charlie a night alone.

Rose sang quietly to Aaron as they walked and Bernard smiled fondly at her. He watched as the baby's eyes began to flutter, then close completely.

"You're good with him," he commented to his wife, making sure to keep his voice low so that he would not wake the baby.

Rose smiled and kissed the downy hair that covered Aaron's head. "He's so sweet."

"Are you sorry you never had one?" Bernard asked her softly.

Rose looked out onto the water for several minutes before she spoke. "Everyday of my life."

"I'm sorry that – " Bernard began, but Rose cut him off.

"It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault. After we found out…found out that we couldn't have children of our own, we knew that was the end…knew that no adoption agency was going to give a baby to a mixed couple," Rose said, her heart feeling the familiar ache as she recalled that time in her life. They headed back up to their shelter and she gently placed Aaron in his crib. She then bustled about for a few minutes, gathering supper for Bernard and herself. They sat down just outside the tent so that they would be sure to hear Aaron if he started crying.

"Bernard, you know that I believe that this island has special powers, don't you?" Rose asked as they ate.

Bernard paused for a moment as he swallowed his food, the looked at her. "Yes, I know you believe that."

"I believe that this island, in one way or another, is capable of providing people with the things they need or want most in life," she continued. "Take Jack and Kate, for example. Kate was desperately searching for something that could make her stop running. She found it – she loves Jack too much to run from him. Jack needed someone to make him trust again. He found Kate. Charlie – Charlie needed to straighten out his life. Here, he was forced to. Claire needed that baby, even if she didn't know it. Sawyer needed to belong to something and now he does. Shannon need someone to see her as more than a pretty face – and Sayid does."

"What about you, Rose?" Bernard asked.

Rose smiled. "I wanted children more than I wanted anything in the world. Now I have many of them, and grandchildren to boot," she added, gesturing toward the tent where Aaron lay sleeping.

Bernard put his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her tenderly. "Then I'm glad we crashed here," he said softly.

-----------------------------

"Okay, okay, I know this is cheesy, but we can't not play this one," Charlie called out above the raucous voices gathered in the hatch. With the exception of Shannon, who couldn't because of her pregnancy, and Locke, who chose not to imbibe, they'd all been drinking steadily for an hour now and several were bordering on drunkenness. Jack, who was feeling pleasantly tipsy, chuckled when he thought of the hangovers that would be present in the morning.

The was silence for a moment as Charlie changed records, then Bobby Darin's voice poured into the room.

Somewhere beyond the sea  
Somewhere waiting for me  
My lover stands on golden sands  
and watches the ships that go sailing

Everyone groaned theatrically and tossed empty cups and napkins in Charlie's direction. He laughed heartedly as he batted them away.

"Come on, guys, this is a classic," Locke argued above the din. He moved over to where Jack and Kate were standing. He held out his hand to Kate. "May I?" Kate smiled and took his hand, allowing him to lead her to the center of the room. He spun her once before leading her into a jaunty dance that left her breathless and laughing. 

Somewhere beyond the sea  
She's there watching for me  
If I could fly like birds on high  
then straight to her arms  
I'd go sailing

Shannon grabbed Sayid's arm and dragged him over to where Kate and Locke were dancing. Despite his reluctance, Sayid was a good dancer and soon he and Shannon were moving at the pace that Locke and Kate had set. Boone and Jade joined them.

It's far beyond the stars  
it's near beyond the moon  
I know beyond a doubt  
my heart will lead me there soon

We'll meet beyond the shore  
we'll kiss just as before  
Happy we'll be beyond the sea  
and never again I'll go sailing

Everyone laughed good-naturedly as Hurley attempted to swing Libby around what had become the dance floor. Charlie and Claire were doing a version of the jitterbug over near the record player, and Ana-Lucia had even managed to force Sawyer into something that slightly resembled dancing.

I know beyond a doubt  
my heart will lead me there soon  
We'll meet (I know we'll meet) beyond the shore  
We'll kiss just as before  
Happy we'll be beyond the sea  
and never again I'll go sailing

They were all breathless with exertion and laughter by the time the song was over. Locke bowed grandly as he returned Kate to Jack's side. "Thank you for the dance, my lady," he said, his eyes twinkling. "And now, I think it is time for me to retire." With that, he left the hatch.

"Yeah, I'm beat," Shannon said, her face flushed and happy. She and Sayid followed Locke out the door. The rest of the couples followed soon afterward, all promising to come back and help Kate clean up the hatch the following morning.

Finally Jack and Kate found themselves alone. Charlie had thoughtfully put on a record of mellow piano music before he left and someone (Kate suspected Claire) had turned out all the lights. The room was dimly and very romantically lit by some strategically positioned candles.

"So, did you enjoy your birthday party, Jack?" Kate asked as they flopped down on the couch together, Kate's body snuggled tightly against Jack's.

"Yeah, it was great," Jack answered, resting his chin on top of her head. "I can't believe that you went through so much trouble for me."

"It wasn't that much trouble," Kate told him. "Everybody pitched in. They all love you and wanted it to be special."

Jack smiled. "So, do we get the hatch to ourselves tonight?" Kate laughed at his suggestive tone.

"Yeah, that was part of their present to you," she said. "But we still have to push the damn button."

"I can live with that," Jack said, just as the timer began to beep.

"You go get that and I'll get your present from me ready," Kate said, standing up and pulling Jack with her.

"Ohhh, I get a present?" Jack laughed as he moved towards the computer room.

"Only if you're a good boy," Kate called back as she went to a bag she had carefully prepared earlier that day.

Jack met her back in the hatch's bedroom and his eyes immediately went to her hands, which were hiding something behind her back. He raised his eyebrows. She laughed and pulled two lengths of some silky material from behind her back and ran them lazily over Jack's body.

"Take off your shirt," she ordered. Jack did as she'd asked, his hands trembling slightly as he worked the buttons. He wasn't entirely sure what she had planned, but the combination of the alcohol that he'd consumed and the prospect of making love to Kate had him ready to go along with just about anything.

After he'd slid the shirt off his shoulders, Kate gently pushed him down onto the bed, maneuvering him until he was completely horizontal. "Put your hands up," she told him throatily. Jack obeyed.

Kate used the silky material to tie each of his wrists to an opposite bedpost. They were loose enough as not to hurt him, but he knew that there was no way, short of ripping that material, that he was getting free.

Kate stood beside the bed and stared down at Jack for a moment and he was suddenly struck breathless by her beauty. Her hair, which she had shampooed just that morning in the hatch's shower, was shining and her eyes, those beautiful green eyes that he could stare into for hours, were sparkling like the rarest of emeralds in the soft candlelight.

Kate began to move, to dance, slowly in time with the music coming from the record player. Her hips twisted sensually as she ran her hands up and down her body. Jack knew instantly what she had planned and shivered slightly in anticipation.

Kate had chosen her party outfit carefully, making sure that she dressed in layers with garments that contained numerous buttons and zippers. She began by toying with the buttons on the long-sleeved white shirt that was the top layer, unbuttoning them and then buttoning them again and again as her hips continued to move.

She finally reached the last button and unfastened it, slowly sliding the shirt up and down her arms before discarding it completely. She wore a black tank top underneath, one of Shannon's garments that had three buttons just below the neckline. She began playing with these buttons now, her cleavage becoming more and more visible with each button unfastened.

After all the buttons were undone, Kate toyed with the hem of the tank top. She pulled it up slightly, revealing just a hint of the tight, smooth skin of her abdomen, before lowering it again. She did this several times, each time revealing just a little more skin, until she finally pulled it over her shoulders and tossed it on the bed next to where Jack lay completely still, his eyes never leaving her body and his breath coming in short pants.

Kate danced for several minutes without removing anymore clothing. She used her hands to caress her breasts, which were encased in a lacy black bra, causing Jack's breathing to become even more labored. She finally unsnapped the clasp of her bra, slowly revealing what lay beneath. Jack's cock, already hard, tightened to the point of pain.

Kate's pants were next, coming off slowly in a series of unzips and zips, unsnaps and snaps. She kicked them off and stood before Jack wearing only a pair of black panties that matched the bra she had previously discarded. Jack could see and smell the arousal that was soaking through the silky material of the panties. After playing with the waistband of the panties for several minutes, Kate finally lowered them completely.

Jack jerked against the scarves that tied him to the bedposts as Kate maneuvered her naked body on top of his. His cock strained painfully against the confining material of his blue jeans and he hoped Kate planned on relieving him of the pressure soon.

She didn't disappoint. Working her skillful hands down his body, she unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans slowly, pulling them down over his muscular legs and tossing them aside. His boxers were next, and she made sure that her hands just barely brushed against his engorged cock as she slid them down. He bucked underneath her as her hands made contact, desperate for more.

Kate, however, had other plans. Using her arms to prop herself up, she hovered her body over Jack's, smiling as he strained upward in an attempt to make contact, then laughing out loud as he groaned loudly and theatrically when his efforts proved fruitless.

Kate lowered her mouth to Jack's in a passionate kiss, abandoning the seduction scene she had created for a moment to enjoy the rush of feelings that both poured into the kiss. I lasted for several minutes before Kate pulled away, reentering her role as the seductress.

Up on her hands and knees once again, Kate used her position to brush her breasts along Jack's chest. Accepting his sharp intake of breath as encouragement, she moved them down his body, pressing hard against him, then moving away before he could get too comfortable.

Jack's groans were becoming louder and more desperate as Kate worked her way down his body. He wanted her – hell, needed her – more than he ever had before.

Kate finally reached lower regions. Grinning wickedly at his obvious arousal, she took one of her breasts in her hand and rubbed the nipple over the head of his hardened length, smearing the droplets of moisture that had gathered there and causing Jack to jerk against his restraints once again.

"Fuck, Kate, you're killing me," Jack said hoarsely, his heavy breathing making the words difficult to understand. "I want…I need…Christ, Kate, I need to come now!"

Kate looked deep into his eyes, pleased at his reaction. This was exactly what she wanted. "Tell me what you want, Jack. Tell me what you need me to do to make you come."

"Anything, Kate, anything," he panted, thrusting his lower body upward in yet another attempt to reach the part of her that was hovering just out of reach – the part that was now literally dripping with her own arousal.

"No, tell me," Kate insisted. "Tell me exactly what you want."

"Okay, okay, use your mouth, Kate," Jack gasped. "Suck my cock and let me come inside your mouth."

Kate smiled happily at his command. "Whatever you say, birthday boy," she said as she lowered her mouth to his throbbing cock.

Jack's hips bucked wildly as her mouth made contact. Control was not a word he could even contemplate at the moment; he knew that his release was close.

Kate's mouth was hot and wet as she sucked him deep into her throat, her lips eventually making contact with the base of his shaft. She slowly slid her lips back up, then down again, her mouth mimicking the movements of slow, sensual sex.

Kate felt Jack tensing up and knew that his orgasm was hovering close to the surface. She sped up the movements of her mouth, wrapping her hand around the base of his cock so that she could pump him in two different directions. It worked, as she'd known it would; Jack groaned loudly, once, before jerking his hips upward and shooting his hot seed into her waiting mouth.

Kate kept her mouth wrapped around him as he continued to spurt into her mouth in an orgasm that lasted longer than any he'd ever experienced. He finally collapsed back against the bed, his breathing heavy and sated.

Kate wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before crawling back up his hot, sweaty body, kissing her way along his stomach, then his chest, until she finally reached his face. She kissed both of his closed eyelids and his nose before pressing her lips against his.

Jack was smiling when Kate finally pulled away from his mouth, his breathing finally under his control again.

"Wow, I wish I could have a birthday every day," he teased, eliciting a smile from Kate as she sat upright, her tight bottom resting firmly on his lower abdomen.

"Then it wouldn't be as much fun," she returned as she ran her hands lightly over his chest, her fingers tangling themselves in his chest hair.

"Kate, this was perfect, absolutely incredible," Jack told her as he stared up at her. "But could you please untie me now?"

Kate giggled. "Why, getting a little uncomfortable?" she teased as she moved to undo the knots that bound him to the bed.

Finally free, Jack lowered his arms and shook the kinks out of them before he answered, flipping her onto her back and moving his own large body on top of her easily as he did so. "No, I just want to make love to you now and I need to be able to feel you to do that."

It was Kate's turn gasp sharply as he brought his mouth to her neck, kissing, biting, and sucking all the spots he knew turned her on. His hand found her breast and caressed it gently as he hit a spot on her collarbone that he knew would elicit a strong response. He wasn't disappointed; Kate let out a loud moan as he sucked on her sensitive skin.

Jack felt Kate's legs spread underneath him and knew that she was more than ready for him. He took his cock in his hand to guide himself gently into her, sliding easily into the slippery heat that spoke of her desire.

Jack, having already been brought to release once by Kate's elaborate seduction scheme, set the pace, opting for a long, languid round of lovemaking this time. His deep, slow thrusts brought Kate to orgasm almost immediately and she wrapped her arms tightly around him as the tremors shook her body. He kissed her gently, lovingly, as they subsided, then began moving again, refreshing the sensations in her lower regions and causing her to cry out again.

Jack eventually lost count of how many orgasms Kate had experienced, continuing at the pace he'd set as she came over and over again. He cursed silently when the alarm began to sound. Not wanting to break the mood, Jack gently pulled out of her and maneuvered himself off of the narrow bed. Bending down, he lifted Kate into his arms and carried her out of the bedroom and into the computer room, his lips locked against hers in a soft, sweet kiss. He sat her down on the desk and quickly typed in the dreaded numbers with one hand, using the other to gently push her into a horizontal position in front of him. When her back was flat against the desk, he lifted her legs to his shoulders and entered her once again, the new position allowing him to stroke her in an entirely new way, which led to another intense orgasm for Kate.

After what seemed like hours of lovemaking, Jack felt himself tensing up in anticipation of his impending orgasm. Wanting to finish in the same place he'd begun, he lifted Kate into his arms again and carried her back to the bedroom, laying her gently against the bed and lowering his body on top of hers.

"One more time, Kate, please come one more time for me," he coaxed softly as he began to pick up his pace.

Kate's breath was coming in sobbing gasps as she shook her head slightly. "No, Jack, I can't, it's too…it's too…strong, too much, Jack," she sobbed as she writhed underneath him.

"Yes, Kate, yes, you can," he encouraged, his own release close now. "I need you to come one more time. Please, Kate, come with me." His breath caught as his cock began to tingle.

Kate had just opened her mouth to answer when yet another orgasm hit her, this one stronger and more intense than any of her previous ones. She screamed loudly, louder than Jack had ever heard her scream.

It was all Jack needed. He let out a shout of his own as he emptied himself inside of her, finally collapsing on top of her with a satisfied groan.

They lay for several minutes without speaking, still experiencing the most intimate of connections. Jack finally pulled out of her and flopped onto his back, pulling Kate close to him and wrapping his arms around her still-trembling body.

"So, Kate, if you need any ideas about what to get me for Christmas…" Jack began conversationally, his eyes twinkling as he gently stroked her hair.

"Oh, that reminds me," Kate exclaimed, sitting up suddenly and hopping out of bed. She went over to where her backpack lay against the wall and began rummaging around inside of it.

"What're you doing?" Jack asked, propping himself up on one elbow and watching her with interest.

"Getting your birthday present," Kate told him, smiling as her hand closed over the object she had been seeking.

"Kate, you've already given me a party and, well, all of this," Jack protested as Kate walked back over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"I made this for you," she said opening her hand to reveal a thin strip of leather with a silver medallion attached to its center. Jack took it from her and examined the medallion. On one side was engraved a "K" and on the other was a "J." His hand shook slightly and he felt his eyes beginning to water.

"It's a necklace," Kate explained, taking it from him and placing it around his neck. "I thought you might like it since you don't wear the key around your neck anymore." She tied a knot in the leather and positioned the medallion against his throat. "Do you like it?"

Jack had to swallow once, then again, before he could speak. "Kate, it's beautiful, perfect." He reached up to touch it, then reached over to stroke her cheek. "I swear that I'll never take it off." He pulled her close to him in a tight hug, knowing that this was the best birthday he'd ever had.


	17. Chapter 17

People were still talking about Jack's surprise birthday party in the hatch weeks after it happened. Everyone had a wonderful time that night and they all agreed that it was something that should happen more often.

Kate, Ana-Lucia, and Jack were still teasing Sawyer about his dancing abilities late one afternoon as the four were enjoying a cutthroat game of poker during one of Jack's rare afternoons off. Tired of swapping mangoes back and forth, they had devised a rule where the winner of each hand was allowed to force a dare upon one of the other three. This explained why, at the present moment, Jack's face was made up with startling shades of blue eye shadow, pink blush, and red lipstick and why Sawyer was lounging in only his boxers and Ana-Lucia's lacy white bra. It also explained why Kate had been forced to make a hat out of Jack's boxers and why Ana-Lucia was still flushed from running up to where Hurley was standing around with Libby and yanking his shorts down to his knees.

Jack had just won another hand and was trying to think of a creative way to get Kate back for the make-up that decorated his face when a loud scream broke the peace of the late afternoon. Jumping up and quickly shading his eyes from the glaring sun, Jack saw a crowd gathered down by the shoreline frantically pointing out into the waves. Brushing aside Kate's pleas to be careful, Jack sprinted down to the water's edge and saw what everyone was pointing at. Someone was bobbing frantically up and down in what looked like a strong undertow. Kicking his shoes off as quickly as he could, Jack plunged into the water and began to swim forcefully towards the figure, Sayid close at his side.

"We go in turns!" Jack screamed at Sayid when they reached the spot where the person had disappeared under the water. He caught Sayid's nod before diving downward and frantically groping for a human body. When he felt that his lungs were about to burst, he shot back to the surface. Sayid was ready and took the plunge underneath the waves as Jack attempted to regain his breath.

Sayid returned empty-handed and Jack dove down once again. Just as his lungs were about to reach the bursting point once again, his hand made contact with a solid figure. Grabbing an arm, Jack swam hard towards the surface.

Sayid quickly grabbed the other arm as Jack emerged from under the water and they began swimming back towards shore. Michael and Boone met them in the knee-deep surf and helped drag the body up onto the sandy beach. Jack pounded on the man's back for a moment in an attempt to expel water, then turned him over to administer CPR. Over and over again he breathed into the man's mouth, but to no avail. Finally Sayid tugged gently on Jack's arm.

"He's gone, Jack," the Iraqi said in a soft voice. "You cannot save him."

Jack allowed himself to be pulled away as a short blond-haired woman named Alicia threw herself down onto the sand beside the body, which was that of her boyfriend Greg. With Alicia's sobs ringing in his ears, Jack numbly began to walk up the beach.

Kate made her way through the throng of people gathered by the shore and took off after Jack. Reaching him, she attempted to slip an arm around his waist. He didn't even look at her as he pushed her away.

"Jack, what..." Kate began, once again reaching for him.

"Kate, please just leave me alone right now, okay?" Jack said, pushing her away again.

Kate bit back the words that hovered on her lips and stood still, a hurt expression on her face, as she watched Jack disappear down the path that led to the caves.

-----------------------------

Jack didn't allow the tears to escape until he was well out of sight and earshot of the others. Reaching the cave he shared with Kate, he sat down heavily on a ledge and buried his face in his hands as his tears fell freely.

Once again, he had let everyone down. He was the doctor, the leader – they all depended on him to take care of everyone. And he had, up until today at least. Today Greg had died in full view of everyone and Jack had not been able to save him. He was a failure, just as his mother and father had always said he was.

Hearing footsteps at the cave's entrance, Jack furtively swiped at his red-rimmed eyes and looked up to see Kate standing in the mouth of the cave. He jumped up from the ledge and headed over to the medical cart, where he began to rearrange the already-meticulous rows of supplies.

"What do you want, Kate?" he asked in a tired voice, his back still to her.

Kate moved closer to him and placed her arms around his waist before she answered. "I wanted to see if you were all right."

Jack shrugged her arms off, wincing inwardly as he noticed the hurt look that passed across her face as he did so. _Yep, right on track_, he thought bitterly. _Hurting everyone around me – that's what I'm best at. _"I'm fine, Kate," he said. "I just want to be alone right now. Can you please try and understand that?"

Kate's heart went out to him. She knew he considered himself the leader and the healer and that he was probably mentally beating himself to a pulp right now because of what had happened on the beach. She took a deep breath. "Jack, talk to me, please," she pleaded. "Don't shut me out. You're my best friend as well as the man I love. Please let me help you."

"Goddammit, Kate!" Jack exploded, then closed his eyes in an attempt to calm himself. After several seconds, he opened them again. "Kate, you can't help me, okay? No one can. I failed everyone…I let them all down. They all depend on me and I…oh, forget it. Kate, please just leave me alone. I need to be by myself for awhile."

"No, Jack," Kate said firmly. "No, I won't leave you alone and I won't let you shoulder all these burdens. Please, Jack, let me – "

"Kate, Greg died because I couldn't save him! I'm a fucking doctor, for Christ's sake!" Jack paused and took a deep breath, then lowered his voice as he began to speak again. "I'm a fucking doctor, Kate, and I couldn't save him. They all sat there and watched as I tried to save him and they all watched me fail. How can I expect any of them to trust me again?"

_Oh, dear God_, Kate thought as she heard the deep pain in Jack's voice. She knew that he had issues stemming from his failed marriage, his rocky relationship with his parents, his father's death, and his driving determination, but she'd had no idea that they went this deep. "Jack – "

"No, Kate," he said, turning away from her once again. "You can't help me because you can't understand. You'll never understand. What would you know about saving a life, anyway? You killed someone in cold blood…" Jack stopped suddenly when he realized what he'd just said. An icy pain ripped through his chest as he watched her face go white.

"Kate, I…" he began but was cut off by her withering glare.

"Go to hell, Jack Shephard," Kate said in a frigid tone as she turned and stalked off into the jungle.

"Kate!" Jack called out once, but there was no answer. "Kate, I'm sorry," he whispered into the still air around him.

-----------------------------

Oh, come on, y'all – you didn't seriously think it was always going to be sunshine and roses, did you? Please stick with me, here – I have it all mapped out, I promise. And please, please review – they make me happy!

**On another note – has anyone seen _We Are Marshall_ yet? AMAZING movie! Matthew Fox is outstanding – he totally made the movie…and I'm not just saying that because he's so hot – he was really brilliant here – definitely the movie's best performance! That's not to say he wasn't hot, as usual…I mean, those short shorts and knee socks were very seventies but he definitely wore them well! On top of all that, it's an amazing and very inspirational story that had me in tears from the first few scenes. **


	18. Chapter 18

Jack chose not to go after Kate following that horrifying moment when he knew he'd hurt her in a way he'd sworn to himself he never would – hurt her more than fists ever could – hurt her by throwing her past in her face. He'd known that nothing he could have said at the moment would have healed what he'd done and instead chose to simply stare after her retreating back until she'd disappeared into the heavy foliage. Once he'd lost sight of her, he had walked back into the cave and collapsed onto their bed, inhaling her scent that lingered on the blanket and allowing himself to brood over everything that had happened on that horrible day.

He must have fallen asleep, for the next thing he remembered was being gently shaken awake by Charlie's hand on his arm. He sat up groggily and look around at the darkening cave; he must have been out for at least an hour. He listened with only half an ear as Charlie told him of the funeral that was planned for dusk.

"So will you?" Charlie asked.

"Huh?" Jack asked, still dazed from his nap and the emotions coursing through him. "Will I what?"

"Speak at Greg's funeral," Charlie repeated, his patience waning. "Eko is performing the service and Libby and I are singing. Will you make a speech?"

Jack closed his eyes against the pressure building in his head. "Not this time, Charlie, sorry."

Charlie looked confused. "But, Jack, you always…"

Jack cut him off sharply. "I said not this time, Charlie. Ask Paul to do it. He was Greg's best friend. I barely knew him. I just…I can't, okay? I'll be there, but I can't make a speech."

Charlie just stared for a moment, then decided not to push the issue. "Right. Well, you probably ought to come back to the beach soon – it's getting dark and we'll start shortly." Jack answered him with a nod and Charlie jogged off down the path to the beach.

-----------------------------

Twilight was settling over the island when Jack finally reappeared on the beach. He immediately looked around, hoping to see Kate, but to no avail. He slowly made his way to the cleared patch next to the nearly completed church that had been designated the cemetery and took his place in the crowd of mourners that gathered around the freshly dug grave. Several of the mourners gave him questioning glances, wondering why he, their leader, wasn't taking a more obvious role in the funeral. Jack ignored all the looks and kept looking around for Kate.

He didn't spot her until after Eko had begun the service and respectfully choose to remain in his spot rather than move closer towards her. He kept trying to catch her eye, hoping to relay at least some kind of apology through a small smile, but she refused to look at him. He finally gave up and turned his attention towards the service.

Eko, though impassive, was a powerful speaker and his words moved several of the mourners to tears. Alicia's eyes remained dry, though Jack knew that he would never be able to forget the pained look that shadowed her face as she stood next to her boyfriend's dead body, supported on one side by Greg's best friend, Paul, and by Hurley, with whom she was good friends, on the other.

Eko finished speaking and gestured towards Charlie and Libby, who moved to stand beside the grave. Charlie began to strum his guitar softly as Libby, who had surprised them all with her beautiful voice, began to sing a chilling rendition of "Amazing Grace."

After the song was finished, the mourners completed what had become the island graveside tradition – as they filed out of the cemetery, each man dropped a handful of moist earth and each woman dropped a colorful island flower into the open grave. They all waited while Alicia dropped the final flower, then they quietly departed, several talking softly among themselves.

After a quiet murmur of sympathy to Alicia and a quick peck on her hollowed cheek, Jack looked around for Kate once again. Not able to glimpse her among the crowd, he walked over to where Sawyer stood by the ocean.

"Sawyer, have you seen Kate?" Jack asked, trying desperately to maintain a nonchalant tone.

Sawyer looked at him hard for a moment before answering. "Yeah, she took off right after the service. She's probably up there," he said, gesturing towards his own tent, which was perched on a little dune surrounded by nice shade trees. "She asked me if she could stay," he added, watching Jack's face closely.

Jack fought hard to keep his emotions in check at that admission. He felt his automatic defense shields go up – the shields that had allowed him to shut down each time his father humiliated and belittled him, each time his ex-wife ripped into his heart a little more. "Well, that was fast," he said coldly, not meeting Sawyer's eyes, afraid his emotions would betray him.

Sawyer looked at Jack with what could only be described as pity for a quick moment before a hard look replaced it. He drew up close to the taller man and spoke in a low voice. "You know, Doc, it's only out of respect for Greg and Alicia and everyone else and what we all just went through here that you're not on your ass in that sand behind you," he said menacingly. "But don't you ever let me hear you say anything like that about Kate again. She don't deserve it and neither do I," he added as he turned to walk away from Jack. "Oh, and Doc?" Jack just looked at him. "Not that you deserve any explanation at the moment, but I'm staying with Ana for awhile to give Kate some space."

Jack watched him walk away, unable to move in the aftermath of second emotional confrontation of the afternoon. _How did everything get so fucked-up in a matter of hours?_ he wondered, staring out into the ocean as if searching for an answer. Part of him wanted to run up to Sawyer's tent and beg and plead forgiveness from Kate. But the other part of him knew that they were both still too emotional for such a scene at the moment. He instead turned and began to walk down the beach, wanting to put as much distance between himself and the beach camp as possible.

_I thought it was going to be different with her,_ Jack thought as he walked along the shore. _I thought I'd be able to lose the shields for good and let her in, let her share. I never could, not with Sarah or anyone else…I could never allow anyone to share – or even see - my pain. It was mine to deal with, just mine._

But even as he thought these numbing thoughts, Jack knew that he wasn't even acknowledging an even deeper issue. _I can't ever let anyone see that I'm hurting,_ he admitted to himself as he moved further up the beach. _I always thought it was weakness…I could never let him see how much he hurt me. So I lashed back…I tried to hurt him even worse. And now I'm doing the same thing with Kate._

Jack shook his head and swiped at his eyes to rid himself of the tears that had gathered there. Noticing that it was full dark now, he made his way to a cluster of trees near the shoreline and dropped his pack to the sand. He pulled a small blanket from the bag and spread it out. Then, more from habit than a desire or need for warmth, he gathered some kindling and started a fire. Stretching out on the blanket, he stared into the flames and thought about Kate.

FLASHBACK 

Oppressive heat and humidity had been stalking the island for several days, sending tempers flaring and complaints of illnesses skyrocketing. Jack himself was edgy and agitated, wanting nothing more than to find Kate and slip away to their secret lagoon where they could cool off in the soft spray of the flowing waterfall. Instead he was forced to listen to complaint after complaint, each one seemingly more ridiculous than the previous. When a man named Richard came to him complaining of a headache and dizziness – classic signs of dehydration – and then admitted that he hadn't had any water to drink all day, Jack finally lost it. He shoved the man hard and was headed toward where Richard lay sprawled in the sand, fist clenched, when Kate grabbed him around the waist and, with Sawyer's help, hauled him backward.

"_Come on, Jack, let's go," she ordered, tugging hard on his arm. "Now!" she ordered when he resisted. "The clinic is closed for the day," she announced to the crowd that had gathered as she led Jack away from the beach and down a jungle path. After several twists and turns, they found themselves at the curtain of leaves and vines that hid their lagoon from the world. Smiling, Kate led Jack to the water's edge. _

"_Sit," she ordered, and Jack complied. After she had wet a rag in the cool water that lay before them, Kate sat down, her back against a large boulder, and maneuvered Jack into a half-sitting, half-lying position between her outstretched legs. He leaned into her, his back against her chest, and closed his eyes as she unbuttoned his shirt and began sponging his chest and face with the wet rag. After several minutes, she set the rag aside and wrapped her arms around him, using her hands to rub and massage his tense body. She lowered her mouth to his ear and began singing and humming softly, much as a parent would do to an upset infant. She rocked him gently, soothingly as she felt him relax in her arms, then finally fall into a deep sleep – his first in days. _

_The late afternoon sun was casting a long shadow when he finally woke, still wrapped in Kate's arms and feeling refreshed for the first time in weeks. He turned his face to look at Kate and saw her looking down at him with a satisfied smile on her face._

"_Feeling better?" she asked, brushing a soft kiss on his temple._

"_Tons," he answered, grabbing one of the hands that was still massaging him gently and returning the kiss. He looked up at her again, his eyes questioning. "You didn't drug me again, did you?"_

_Kate laughed. "No," she answered, then laughed again at his raised eyebrows. "I swear, I didn't. It's temple massage," she explained, demonstrating, which instantly relaxed him all over again. "Just something I picked up somewhere. I thought you could use it."_

_Jack rose up and captured her lips with his. "You were right." Then he stood, stretching his arms high above his head to shake the kinks out. He grabbed Kate's hands and pulled her up from her sitting position. He quickly stripped her clothes off, followed by his own, before picking her up and wading into the cool blue water of the lagoon. _

_They splashed and laughed and swam for several minutes before Jack grabbed Kate around the waist and pulled her close to him. Her legs settled naturally around his waist and she felt his hardness probing at her center. And then he was inside of her._

_Kate threw her head back to allow Jack access to her neck and chest as he pushed into her slowly and gently. They moved through the water as their lovemaking continued, eventually ending up under the waterfall. Jack eased her up against a rock made smooth by years and years of flowing water and entered her again, harder this time, as the water flowed over their naked bodies. The combination of the rushing water and Jack's skillful movements had Kate moaning instantly and she felt her breath catch as the orgasm washed over her – not hard and intense as it so often was, but smoothly and gently this time, much like the water that was showering her body. Her soft cries brought Jack to the edge and then he, too, fell. They lay there together for what seemed like hours, him still buried inside of her, the flowing water becoming a curtain to shield them from the rest of the world._

END FLASHBACK 

Jack bit his lip as he remembered that day – and so many others – days he had felt what had, over the past years, become almost an alien feeling to him – happiness. He was actually happy. And it was Kate who made him that way.

_And then you treat her like this_, he thought, disgusted with himself. _She loves you and trusts you and tries to take care of you and you're so goddamned self-centered that you can't put aside your own issues and let her in. _Suddenly uneasy with the admission he'd just made to himself, Jack lay back on the blanket and closed his eyes. His mind still troubled and whirling over everything that had happened that day, he fell into a restless sleep.

-----------------------------

"Jack!" The voice, combined with the hand on his arm that was shaking him vigorously, jerked Jack out of sleep and into a bright and shining morning. Groaning he sat up quickly and immediately shaded his eyes from the glaring sun.

"What?" he asked, growing concerned by the urgency he heard in Sawyer's voice.

"Jack, you need to come quick, man," Sawyer said, jerking Jack up and grabbing the blanket that he'd been sleeping on. He picked up Jack's backpack and shoved the blanket inside, zipping it quickly before tossing it to Jack, who was now wide-awake. "Kate – there's something wrong with Kate," he explained as the two began to sprint back up the beach towards camp.

"What's the matter with her?" Jack asked, his heart pounding as he began to run faster.

"She's sick, Jack," Sawyer said, huffing now as he tried to keep up. "She didn't come out of the tent this morning and I got worried. I went in and she was completely out of it. She's got a fever and she's, like, I don't know, delirious or some shit. She keeps calling your name."

"Who's with her now?" Jack asked as they drew closer.

"Sun and Claire stayed with her so I could come find you," Sawyer explained. "Jack, wait," he called out as Jack moved towards the tent where Kate lay inside. "I need to tell you something first," he added, grabbing Jack's arm to stop him from going inside.

"What is it, Sawyer?" Jack asked impatiently.

An uncomfortable look came over Sawyer's face. "Look, Kate was going to tell you herself today, but, she, well…this happened. I need to tell you 'cause it'll make a difference in how you treat her fever." He stopped, drew in a deep breath. "Kate…she's pregnant, Jack."

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**I know y'all hoped to see some resolve in this chapter, but just be patient with me - I'm getting there. **

**Your reviews have been very helpful and inspiring to me. Please keep them coming.**


	19. Chapter 19

Jack paused, one hand on the flap that served as the door to Sawyer's shelter, and turned to look back at the man who just spoke.

"She's what?" he asked slowly, trying to take it all in.

Sawyer blew out a deep breath, knowing that the information would hit Jack hard. "She's pregnant, Doc. She took a test last night. Took two of them, actually. Both positive. She wanted to go after you, to tell you, but it was getting really late and no one knew exactly where you'd gone. So I persuaded her to wait 'til this morning. But then, well, you know what happened."

Jack just shook his head, the information overwhelming. "Thanks for telling me, Sawyer," he finally managed. Sawyer gave him a quick salute before sauntering away. Jack took a deep breath and entered the shelter.

Claire scampered out quickly to give Jack more room to maneuver and Sun left her place at Kate's head and moved to the foot of the bed so that Jack could move closer. His eyes filled with tears and his heart seared with pain as he looked down at her helpless form.

"Oh, baby," he whispered softly as her dropped to his knees by the bed and ran a hand over her hot cheek. Kate moaned loudly and thrashed from side to side for a moment.

"Jack, Jack, I want Jack," she moaned, the words ripping into him with more force than any knife ever could.

"Shh, shh, Kate, I'm here, baby, I'm here and I'm not leaving you. I swear I'll never leave you again," he assured her as he smoothed her hair out of her eyes and steadied her shaking body.

Once Kate had finally settled down, Jack turned his attention to the situation at hand, his full-on doctor mode emerging naturally. "Sun, do you have any idea what's causing her fever?" he asked the woman who was currently wringing out a cold cloth to drape over Kate's hot forehead.

Sun shook her head. "Jack, I truly don't know. It hit very suddenly, whatever it was. It makes me think…I feel like it must be a reaction to something, a bite or something, more than it is a fever caused by an illness or a disease."

"Have you looked her over yet?" Jack asked, pulling back the thin blanket that covered Kate.

Sun shook her head again. "I wanted to wait for you."

"We need to get her undressed," Jack told Sun as he unbuttoned and unzipped Kate's blue jeans. Sun quickly removed Kate's socks and pulled the jeans down her legs as Jack began examining her body.

"There!" he exclaimed a few moments later, pointing to an inflamed red area on the side of Kate's right calf. He looked up at Sun. "Looks like you nailed the diagnosis," he told her, forcing a half-hearted smile. They both bent down to get a closer look at the inflammation.

"It's some kind of insect bite," Sun said, and Jack looked at her questionably. "There's only one puncture mark," she explained further, seeing his confusion. "If it had been some kind of snake or spider, there would have been two marks." Jack nodded, finally catching up.

"It could be some kind of scorpion," he suggested and Sun nodded in agreement.

"Whatever it was, it's the poison from the sting that's causing her fever," Sun said.

"If I remember correctly…" Jack paused, thought for a moment, then continued. "Venom like that hits the central nervous system. We need to get something on the area to control the inflammation and bring the poison back out. That should bring her fever down."

Sun nodded again, thinking hard. Then it hit her. "I need to go find Jin," she told Jack, who was gently sponging Kate's hot face with cool water.

"Jin?" Jack asked.

"Yes, I remember him once telling me of a man in his village who was stung multiple times by a very poisonous jellyfish. Jellyfish venom is similar to that of a scorpion," she explained at Jack's look. "Anyway, an old woman in the village made a poultice that actually sucked the poison back out of his system. I need to ask Jin if he knows what plant she used to make the poultice," Sun finished as she slipped out of the tent.

Jack was still sponging Kate's face and talking quietly to her when Sun returned several minutes later, her hands full of a stringy green plant and a mug full of steaming hot water.

"Rose was already boiling water for tea," she explained, setting the materials down beside the bed. "And it turned out that the plant was one that Kate and I had already transported to the garden." She began seeping the stringy stalks in the boiling water.

"Thank god for small favors," Jack said quietly, the defeated tone in his voice causing Sun to pause and look up at him.

"She's going to be fine, Jack," Sun assured him, placing one hand comfortingly on his arm.

Jack shook his head. "Even if we can bring her fever down…fevers are so dangerous for…well…" he trailed off, not sure if Sun knew of Kate's condition.

"In pregnancy, you mean?" Sun asked, resuming her task of boiling the plant. Jack looked up sharply. "Don't worry, I haven't said anything to anyone else," she told him. "Sawyer told me… he wanted to make sure that the willow-bark tea I gave her this morning when her fever first spiked wouldn't harm the baby."

Jack sighed heavily, almost glad to be able to talk to someone about it. He swiped one hand over his face and sat back on his heels as Sun began to pack the soggy, steaming plant into a poultice. "I know it's crazy…she's only known for a little while herself. But I can't stop thinking that if I'd only known…that somehow I could have protected her…that this wouldn't have happened."

Sun heard the defeat in his voice as she applied the poultice to the inflamed area on Kate's leg. "Jack, you cannot take responsibility for this. This is a dangerous place," she added as she tied a clean cloth around her concoction, assuring that it would remain in place.

"Exactly," Jack said, and sighed again. "It's dangerous and I have no real medical equipment and fevers this early in pregnancy can cause real problems and…" he trailed off helplessly as he stared down at Kate's sleeping form.

Sun shook her head firmly. "Then we'll deal with that if and when it comes about," she told him. Then her voice softened. "Jack, you need to rest some. Wait, wait!" she ordered when he immediately began to protest. "She'll sleep for awhile now and that poultice needs time to seep into her skin. Stay here with her, but for god's sake, please lay down beside the bed and get some rest." She tossed him a blanket and quietly left the shelter. Jack checked on Kate one last time then lay down on the blanket Sun had given him, his mind in a whirr over all he'd been through in the last twenty-four hours. Then, despite everything, he found himself smiling softly. _A baby_…this was his last thought before he slipped into sleep.

-----------------------------

He awoke to painful moans and more thrashing from the bed where Kate lay in a haze of delirium. Jumping up quickly, he used his strength to pin her flailing arms to her sides.

"Kate!" he exclaimed loudly. "Kate, you have to calm down!"

Kate managed to wench her arms from Jack's grip. Clutching at her stomach, she moaned loudly. "Jack, Jack, it hurts, Jack," she cried, pressing hard into her abdomen in an effort to stop the cramping. "Jack, please, it hurts so bad."

Jack pulled back the blanket with shaking hands, afraid of what he might find underneath. Taking a deep breath, he lifted the hem of the t-shirt that hung down to her thighs and raised it cautiously. Then her saw it.

Blood, bright red and terrifying, stained her cotton panties and the sheet that lay underneath her.

"No," he whispered. "Please, god, no." He grabbed a towel and pressed it to her in an effort to stop the bleeding.

"Jack," Kate moaned once again.

"I'm here, Kate, I'm right here," he said soothingly, desperately trying to swallow the panic that was rising up in his stomach.

"Jack, my baby," she moaned, still clutching at her stomach. "Our baby, Jack. Is our baby okay?"

Jack swallowed hard before answering her honestly. "I don't know, Kate," he said finally. "I just don't know."

Sun poked her head through the door, brought to attention by Kate's loud moans. "Jack?" she asked softly. "Jack, what's wrong? Is she okay?"

Jack looked towards Sun with tear-filled eyes. "I think she's losing the baby."

-----------------------------

It was the longest twenty minutes of Jack's life. As a doctor, of course, he realized that there wasn't that much blood actually coming out of her – that it looked like a great deal more than it actually was. But he was having a hard time approaching this as a doctor. To a terrified father-to-be, it looked like a blood red Niagara Falls gushing from in between her legs.

He and Sun took turns pressing towels hard against her vagina in an effort to staunch the flow. Kate had slipped back into unconsciousness and her moans had quieted. Then, as suddenly as it began, the bleeding stopped.

Sun sat back and rubbed the back of her hand across her exhausted-looking face. Jack moved up and took Kate's limp hand in his own.

"Jack, now what?" Sun asked, half-afraid to hear his answer.

Jack shrugged his shoulders. "Now we let nature decide." Sun gave him a confused look. He sighed and brushed a damp curl off of Kate's face. "I don't have any equipment," he explained heavily. "I have no way to tell if she actually lost the baby or not. The bleeding and cramps could have been a miscarriage, or they could have been her body's attempt to rid itself of infection and fever. She could have miscarried but not completely expelled the baby. If that's the case, we're in for a long night. She may not have miscarried, but the fever could have harmed the baby in a way that I won't know about until she gives birth." He stopped suddenly and slammed his hand hard against Sawyer's metal trunk, causing Sun to jump at the sudden noise. "There's so fucking much I don't know!"

Sun looked at him with pity and compassion. If this were Jin lying unconscious… "Jack, you need to leave," she announced firmly, standing and attempting to pull him to his feet. He immediately began to protest, but she refused to listen. "You're too emotional right now," she insisted. "She's going to be out for awhile while the poultice works its magic. You need to clear your head. Go!" she ordered, pushing him out the door. He didn't have the strength to argue with her. Avoiding the stares of the people around the camp as he emerged from the shelter, he turned and walked into the jungle, desperate to avoid any conversation.

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**Wow, that was very hard to write. Very depressing, but necessary, I felt. You'll see – all in good time, my dears! I had originally planned to add what is now going to be the next chapter to this one, but I'm running out of time for the day and made the decision to at least give you something to hold you over until I can get back to this story – which, unfortunately, will be mid-week, since I have a very busy few days coming up. **

**Please review. I love reading your reactions to my story, especially those of you who include specifics – what you liked, what you didn't like, etc. I've been very happy with the number of reviews I've gotten for the past few chapters. I don't even mind those of you who say you hate me – at least I'm affecting you :o) !**


	20. Chapter 20

**This chapter gets a little…well, let's call it mystical. I know that tends to freak some people out, so I thought I might warn you before you get into it.**

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Sawyer, standing a few hundred yards away from the tent where Kate kept floating in and out of consciousness, watched Jack leave the tent and a worried look came over his face. He shook his head briefly, wondering if this was one of those times a guy just needed to be alone or if he should do the buddy thing and go after the obviously-stricken doctor. He had just decided that it would be best to give Jack some time alone when a pair of small brown arms slipped around his waist and a sweet little mouth pressed a light kiss to his shoulder blade. He half-turned and smiled when he saw Ana-Lucia standing behind him. He slipped out of her grip to maneuver his own arm around her, kissing her quickly on the forehead as he did so.

"How's Kate doing?" she asked quietly, snuggling happily into his embrace.

Sawyer shrugged. "Sun thinks the fever is from an insect bite that was poisonous," he told her. "She's got some crappy-smellin' junk on it that she swears will pull the poison out, whatever that means."

"How's Jack handling it?" Ana wondered.

Another shrug. "He's doin' his best to keep his doctor face on, but I think it's hard going for him." Sawyer told her about Jack's sudden departure several minutes before and Ana frowned.

"Should someone go after him?" she asked.

"I thought about it, but I think he just needs some breathin' room," Sawyer told her.

"And you?" Ana asked, nudging him slightly. Sawyer gave her a look. "Do you need to get away for awhile?"

"What'd ya have in mind?" he asked.

Ana shrugged. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Sure," Sawyer answered and they headed for the shoreline, their hands connected loosely and swinging between them.

They walked for several minutes in silence, each lost in thought and comfortable enough with the other to not feel the need for meaningless chitchat. Finally they came to a tall rock outcropping. They climbed up and settled down on top of it, Ana with her back resting against a tall stone and Sawyer perched between her outstretched legs, his back resting comfortably against her chest. She brought one hand around to rest against his chest while she used to other to brush the hair back from his face as they stared out into the ocean. Finally Sawyer spoke.

"You know, Ana…" he started hesitantly, unsure of how to begin.

"Hmmm?" she answered lazily, lulled almost to sleep by the warmth of the setting sun, the pounding of the waves, and the rhythmic motion of her hand running over Sawyer's shaggy blond hair.

Sawyer was quiet for another moment, then began again. "Look, Ana, I know we've always agreed to take this – us – one day at a time and just see what happens next and that's fine and all but this thing with Kate and havin' to watch Jack deal with it…well, it got me thinkin'." He stopped for a breath and Ana took the chance to interrupt him.

"Sawyer, you don't have to…" she began, but Sawyer cut her off.

"You don't even know what I'm going to say," he teased and she smiled and shrugged at him to continue.

"Anyway," he continued, turning to face her now. "It got me thinking that…well, that I just don't know what I'd do if it were you layin' there in that tent. And it made me realize…aw, hell, Ana, I…I love you, okay? I guess I have for a long time, but, well, I don't know, it's kinda hard for me to be…I don't know, serious, I guess, about things like that. So I'm probably still going to tease you and call you names and everything, but, well, I just wanted you to know."

Ana-Lucia smiled at him. "Well, I guess you wouldn't be Sawyer if you didn't call me Chica or Ana-Banana at least once a day." She paused and stared out at the ocean, leaving Sawyer wondering what was running through her mind. Just as he was about to make a crude joke, she spoke again. "I love you, too, Sawyer." She turned and looked at him. "But that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop smacking you around when I think you need it."

Sawyer grinned at her and reached up to pull her face down to his. "Well, we wouldn't want that indention in my head to let up, now would we?" he teased before capturing her lips with his and denying her the opportunity to say anything else.

-----------------------------

Jack move quickly through the jungle. He had no real destination in mind. He knew he couldn't go to the caves where he and Kate had made their home. He couldn't go to the lagoon that held so many happy memories for them. So he just continued to walk, barely noticing when the rain started to fall, the droplets blending well with the tears on his cheeks.

Finally he could stand it no longer. Reaching a small clearing, he dropped to his knees, his pack sliding unnoticed off of his back, and did something he hadn't done in a long, long time. Jack Shephard began to pray.

He didn't know who or what he believed in anymore, so he just prayed to everything – God, Mother Nature, the island itself.

"Please don't take her from me," he pleaded. "Please don't let me lose this. I've finally…she's given me what I've been searching my whole life for. Don't let me lose what I've finally realized I need to be happy."

Jack fell silent and listened to the noise of the jungle surrounding him. His heart leapt into his throat when he heard a voice behind him.

"You're smarter than I was, son."

Jack had not heard that voice in more than a year. He hesitated, afraid to turn around, afraid of what he would see behind him. Finally, he sucked in a deep breath and turned to face his father.

"Dad?" Jack's voice was full of disbelief.

"Who else?" Christian Shephard replied from his sitting position on a partially rotted log that lay on the edge of the clearing.

Jack closed his eyes and shook his head as if to clear it. Then he pinched his arm. When he opened his eyes again, his father was still perched on the log, an amused expression on his face.

"You done yet, son?" he asked. "I'm not sure how much time I have."

Jack walked over to where his father sat. Christian gestured to the empty space beside him and Jack sat down hesitantly. After another moment of silence, he reached out and tried to touch his father's arm, but only met air.

Christian chuckled. "Not going to work, Jack," he said, his voice amused.

"Okay, what is going on here?" Jack asked. "Am I dreaming? Hallucinating? Going crazy?"

"No, Jack," Christian said lightly, bending so his elbows rested on his knees. He sighed deeply before continuing. "Look, Jack, I've know I've never been there for you when you needed me. I was always too busy or too self-involved to take the time. But you seem to need me now, so…I know it won't make up for all the years I wasn't there, but it's the best I can do at this point."

"I don't get it, dad," Jack said, puzzled by what was happening. "Aren't you…well…."

"Dead?" Christian chuckled again. "Yes, I am."

"But then how…"

"Jack, it would take longer than we've got here to explain. Hell, it would take longer than you've got left on earth to explain, and I have a feeling you're going to be around for awhile." Christian paused for a moment, then continued. "Look, let's just say that the…well, we'll call them the powers that be…they've had me sticking around for awhile before moving on to bigger and better things. I think I was classified with some unresolved issues. There was some stuff I needed to take care of before moving on."

Jack just shook his head. This was too weird.

"I know this seems crazy, son. I wouldn't have believed it myself were I in your position. But, Jack, I need you to know…Jack, I know you think I didn't love you because I was never around and never spent much time with you. But, Jack, you and your mom are the only two people I ever did love."

"But what about…" Jack began, ready to reel off a list of Christian's mistresses over the years.

Christian stopped him with a wave of his hand. "I know, Jack, I know. I can't change what I did. But I loved your mother, Jack, please believe that. She's the only one I did love." He stopped and shook his head. "Jack, if there's one piece of advice I can give you, it's that. Once you find that woman, son, don't fuck it up. I was always weak. But, you, Jack, you're a better man than me. I've always known that. I know that you were tempted by the French lady…Gabriella, was it? She…"

Jack interrupted him. "She kissed me, dad. And I kissed her back. That was…that was the night Sarah left."

Christian patted Jack's arm. "Jack, I would have had her in bed within minutes. You stopped it because you knew it was wrong. That's the difference between you and me, son."

Jack looked out into the jungle, unsure of how to proceed.

"She's a pretty girl, your Kate," Christian continued, making Jack look sharply at him. Christian laughed. "Don't look at me like that. I've just sneaked a few peeks, that's all. I wanted to know what was making you so happy."

Jack smiled in spite of himself. "She's perfect."

Christian nodded. "She, uh, well, she reminds me of you mom. Not your mom as…well, as you knew her, but the way she was when I first met her." He stopped, his mind drifting back to happier times.

Jack gestured for him to continue.

Christian sighed. "You only knew your mom as the social queen that she became after…after I started working so much and leaving her alone all the time…and after all the other…well, you know. When I met her though – she was something. Her look was different than Kate's, but that spirit – god, your mom was wild sometimes! She used to plan some crazy…well, what she called 'date nights' where we would…okay, I'll stop!" he finished, laughing as Jack groaned loudly to drown out whatever his father had been about to say. "Anyway, I see a lot of her in Kate."

Jack mimicked his father's position of resting his elbows on his bent knees. "I love her so much sometimes it scares me," he confided. "I'm so afraid that I'm going to hurt her, going to fail her somehow."

Christian shook his head violently. "That's not going to happen, Jack. The only way you could fail her is if you turned out like me…and I'm here today to make sure that you don't do that."

Jack looked at Christian in amazement. "Dad, you're the one who always called me a failure! Nothing was ever good enough for you and…"

Christian cut him off. "Jack, I never called you a failure, not once. Yes, I pushed you. I pushed you hard, probably too hard sometimes. You always had so much potential, Jack. You could have been anything you wanted to be. I always knew you would make a brilliant doctor…and I was right. You had surpassed my skills by the time you hit thirty." He stopped for a breath and Jack noticed his body flinch slightly. Christian noticed it, too. "Jack, I don't have a lot of time left. Look, Jack, if you love Kate, let her know it. Show her, tell her everyday. However important or pressing something else may seem at the time…it's not even on the same level as your relationship with your wife and your children. I discovered that too late in life…but you, Jack…you have the chance to do it right. I hope you take it."

Jack blinked his eyes as the figure sitting next to him began to fade. "Dad, wait!" he called frantically. Christian looked at him sadly and Jack had to hold back tears. "Dad, there are so many things I want to say to you…I don't even know…"

Christian smiled at him. "I know, Jack, I know." He began to fade some more. "Be happy, Jack. You're a good man…a great man. You deserve to be happy, if you'll let yourself take the chance."

"I love you, Dad," Jack managed, his voice catching.

"I love you, too, son," Christian's voice rang out. And then he was gone.

Jack sat in silence for several minutes, replaying the scene over and over in his mind. Finally he stood and picked up his backpack. "Now that was just fucking weird," he said to himself as he started back towards the beach camp, noticing immediately that his heart and his mind felt lighter than they had in years.

-----------------------------

Sun was sitting just outside Sawyer's shelter, admiring the setting sun, when Jack returned to camp. She stood and gave him a quick hug before speaking.

"How are you doing, Jack?" she asked softly.

"I'm good, Sun," he said, then laughed at her skeptical look. "Really, I am. I needed some air. How's Kate?"

Sun smiled. "She's better, Jack, much better. Her fever has broken. I imagine she'll wake up soon."

"And the…other?"

Sun shook her head. "It's too early to tell, Jack," she said. "She hasn't bled anymore and the cramps have gone away, but…we'll just have to wait and see."

"Thanks, Sun, for everything," Jack said. "I'll take over from here." He gave Sun another small smile before entering the tent.

Kate was lying on her side, one hand resting, palm-up, under her cheekbone. Jack sat down next to the bed and brushed her hair out of her eyes, causing her to stir peacefully in her sleep.

Jack wasn't wearing a watch, so he didn't know how long he had been watching her sleep before she finally began to wake up. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"Hey," she said softly, her voice hoarse from sleep.

"Hey," he said in reply, taking her hand in his own. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired," she said, struggling - against Jack's protests - to sit up in the bed. "Sore. What…what exactly happened to me?"

Jack told her about the fever that had consumed her body, carefully omitting any references to the baby. That would come soon enough.

And sure enough… "Jack, did Sawyer tell you…" Kate began hesitantly.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, Kate, he told me."

Kate bit her lower lip. "Jack, I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you…I wanted to come find you, but it was so late and nobody knew where you'd gone and…"

Jack stooped her with a kiss. "Kate, it's my fault, all of it. I was being stubborn and stupid…and I'm the one that's sorry, Kate, for everything…everything that happened at the caves and after…" He trailed off when he noticed Kate looking at him strangely. "What?"

"Something's different about you," she said, looking puzzled. "I don't know what, exactly, but something…"

Jack just stared at her, amazed at how well she could read him. He decided to tell her about his mysterious encounter in the jungle. "Kate, this is going to sound crazy, but…Kate, I fixed things with my father."

Kate gave him a sympathetic look. "Jack, your father…well, he's dead, Jack. How did you….?"

Jack shrugged his shoulders. "I really don't know, Kate. Maybe I was hallucinating or something. All I know is that I saw my father out there and we talked about…well, about everything. It was like…I don't know, like I'd been given a second chance at things." He paused for a moment and grasped Kate's hand tightly. "A second chance at everything, Kate, at us included. And I swear… I swear I'm going to do it right this time. I promise I'll never shut you out again. I…I love you so much, Kate. I need you."

Kate's eyes were full of tears as she pulled Jack close to her, his head resting on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, too, Jack," she said.

-----------------------------

Although Kate made loud noises of protest, both Jack and Sun insisted that she remain in bed for another few days to make sure she healed completely. Jack carried her down to the bed in the hatch so that she'd be more comfortable, laughing as she repeatedly smacked him on the chest and insisted that she could walk just fine.

When yelling didn't work, she turned to charm, trying hard to entice Jack into bed with her. He just laughed at her efforts, but after Sun told him that she could handle the patient load for a few days, he agreed to lie down beside her and keep her company.

They spent the time alternating between sleeping, snuggling, and just talking, both of them reveling things about their pasts that they had never really discussed before.

It wasn't until Jack pronounced her fully healed and able to leave the hatch that she brought up the baby again.

"Jack, I know we've been skirting around this for a few days now, but…what about the baby? Did the fever hurt him?"

Jack sighed and sat down beside her on the bed. Part of him wanted to lie, to reassure her that everything was going to be all right, but he knew that he couldn't do that. He told her the truth. "Kate, you went through some bleeding and heavy cramps the first night of your fever. Fevers are very dangerous in early pregnancy…you might have miscarried, Kate."

"Can't you…" she began, stopping when Jack shook his head.

"In a normal situation, Kate, I'd be able to hook you up to a monitor and tell immediately if the baby was still…if everything was okay," he told her heavily. "But I don't have a monitor here and it's too early for me to be able to hear a heartbeat with just my stethoscope."

"Can I take a pregnancy test and see?" Kate asked him.

Jack shook his head again. "The hormones that detect pregnancy would still be present in your body right now even if you miscarried. You'd get a positive result, but it might be a false positive."

"So what do we do?" Kate asked struggling to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks.

Jack pulled her close to him. "We wait, Kate, and hope and pray that everything's okay. And we trust that your body will tell us when it's time," he told her, fighting back his own tears.

-----------------------------

**Happy and sad…I'm just dragging y'all all over the range of emotions, huh? We're getting close to the end of this story, peeps…three, maybe four more chapters. I've really appreciated all the reviews I've received concerning the past few chapters and have enjoyed reading your reactions to everything that's happening. Please keep them coming! **


	21. Chapter 21

The next several weeks sailed by without major incident. Kate had recovered fully from her fever, although she and Jack were still treading slightly cautious ground in the wake of their fight and all the hurtful things that passed between them.

Kate adamantly refused to even mention the baby, telling Jack once, and only once, that she was still waiting to see.

Jack, on the other hand, was seeing positive signs every time he turned around. He knew that she had been experiencing some morning sickness, although when he called her on it, she claimed it was "bad fruit." He swore that her belly was gaining a slightly rounded appearance, which she attributed to weight gained while she was ill and not able to move around as much. Just last night, he realized – at a most inopportune time – that her breasts were swollen and sore – to which she just laughed and playfully accused him of "rough handling."

Jack saw the fear in her eyes even as she shrugged off each new symptom and, not wanting to make things harder on her, allowed her to continue her actions, knowing that all would be reveled in time.

Besides, he had something else quite important occupying his mind these days…

-----------------------------

Kate was strolling along the beach with Claire, chatting aimlessly about nothing in particular. They had just reached the edge of the beach camp when Kate looked up and saw Jack perched on a rock several hundred yards away. He held in his hands a small object that Kate was unable to identify and it looked like he was polishing something. She watched him for a moment as he frowned at the object, then resumed his hand movements.

Kate nudged Claire and tilted her chin towards where Jack was sitting. "You see that?" she asked her friend, who followed Kate's line of sight until she, too, saw Jack. Claire nodded and Kate continued. "He's been so weird over that past few days. He's been working on something with his hands but he hides it every time I come near him. And maybe I'm just imagining things, but I swear every time we're having a romantic moment, he gets this look on his face like he's trying to decide something, then kinda shakes his head and continues whatever he's doing or saying."

Claire laughed. "You know, something weird _is_ going on around here. Charlie's been the same way – I mean, not exactly, but he's been displaying some pretty weird behavior, too. I've seen him whispering to Hurley sometimes but he won't tell me anything about it. And now that you mention it, Shannon told me yesterday that Sayid has some 'secret' project going on as well."

Kate shook her head. "Well, let them have their fun," she said. "Anyway, we need to head up to the church. Eko wanted us to be there at sunset." Claire shifted Aaron to her other hip and followed Kate up the beach.

-----------------------------

Kate and Claire joined the rest of the islanders as they made their way up the rocky part of the beach toward the spot where Eko had built his church up on a little hill overlooking the beach camp. The structure was finally complete and Eko had asked them all to join him for the final step. Kate saw Jack standing at the edge of the group and moved to stand beside him.

"Thank you all for coming," Eko's deep voice boomed out after the crowd had gathered. "Yesterday Charlie and I finally finished the project that has become very special to us. There were times when we thought we'd never complete it, but our faith was strong and our cause just. Hence this.." – he swept his arm grandly towards the structure behind him – " – a building dedicated to the memory of my brother, Yemi, a true man of God, and a place where we can all worship as we choose. Charlie?" He turned to address the man standing next to him.

"Oh, right," Charlie said as he stepped off the church's porch and retrieved something that lay to the side of the building. He returned with a large wooden cross and handed it to Eko, then reached down to pick up the axe that was serving as their hammer.

"Friends, I would like you to witness the final step of our spiritual task today," Eko said as he placed the cross directly above the opening that served as the church's door. Charlie quickly nailed it in place as the rest of the islanders broke into applause.

"Eko, it's beautiful, man," Jack said as he moved through the crowd to shake Eko's hand, then Charlie's. Locke joined them and nodded in agreement.

"You've done a good thing here, Mr. Eko, Charlie" he said. The two men smiled at the praise.

Jack moved away so that others could move in to congratulate Eko and Charlie. He looked around for Kate and saw her standing off to the side. The wind had picked up and her hair was slipping out of its bun and beginning to swirl around her face. The setting sun cast shades of red and orange and pink and purple all around her and Jack felt his heart lurch at the absolute beauty of her. And then suddenly he knew…

"Kate!" he called out as he made his way towards her. She turned towards him and smiled, the smile turning towards confusion as he dropped to his knees on the sand in front of her.

"Jack, what are you…" she began, but Jack held up a hand.

"Kate, I've been trying to find a way to do this for two weeks now," he said, taking her hands in his own. "I wanted it all to be perfect…wanted to give you something you'd remember for the rest of your…of our lives." He paused and swallowed nervously as the other islanders noticed what was going on and began to crowd in for a closer look. "I just realized that there would never be another time or another place more appropriate than this…the first major symbol of our new life, our first real building…and here, in front of all these people who have become our new family. So, Kate…" Jack paused and took another deep breath. "Kate, will you marry me?"

Tears were streaming down Kate's cheeks. There was absolute silence as she swiped furiously at them, then smiled down at Jack. "Yes, Jack, I will marry you. Yes, yes, a hundred times yes!" Cheers broke out among their friends as Jack stood and swept her into his arms, his lips locked firmly against hers in a sweet, yet passionate, kiss. Finally breaking apart, he smiled down at her.

"Oh, I almost forgot," he said, releasing her as he dug into his pocket and pulled out the ring he'd been working on for weeks.

Kate gasped as Jack slid it onto her finger. "Jack, it's gorgeous!" she said, holding out her hand to admire the ring. The ring was made from a shell Jack had found one day, a beautiful shell that was pink and blue and white all at once. He'd spent hours carving a ring out of the shell, then even longer using a sharp rock to smooth and shape it. It fit Kate's finger perfectly. She snuggled happily into Jack's arms, then turned as another commotion broke out a few feet away. She nearly laughed out loud when she saw Sayid on his knees in front of Shannon.

"Jack, Kate, I hope you do not think I am…ah, 'stealing your thunder,' as it were," he said lightly before turning back to Shannon. "But I, too, have been waiting several weeks to ask Shannon an important question and Jack is right – there is no place more appropriate than this in which to ask this question. Shannon, will you marry me?" He held out a silver ring, made from scrap metal he had salvaged and polished until it shone brightly in the setting sun. Shannon was laughing and crying at the same time as he slipped it onto her finger.

"Yes," she said simply. Sayid smiled and leaned over to place a small kiss on her pregnant stomach before rising and pulling her into his arms.

"Okay, mates, this is getting a little bizarre," Charlie said. "But, aw, what the hell!" He glanced at Hurley and both men dropped to their knees in front of Claire and Libby, who were standing together watching the drama unfold. The two women let out a simultaneous gasp as Charlie and Hurley each pulled a ring from their respective pockets. Charlie went first.

"Claire, I've loved you since the day I met you and I know that I always will. Marry me, Claire, you and Aaron both marry me and let me be a part of your family." Claire found herself unable to speak and simply nodded as Charlie slipped a ring made of several pieces of wire wound together and polished to a bright shine onto her finger. "Your turn, mate," he said to Hurley as he rose.

"Uh, I'm not as good with, you know, the words and all like Jack and Charlie," Hurley said nervously as he gripped Libby's small hand in his own large one. "But, uh, but I do love you, Libby. I think you're the smartest, sweetest, most beautiful woman I've ever known and…uh, well, and I'd be honored if you would marry me. Oh, and, uh, here," he finished as he handed her a ring similar to the one Jack had made for Kate. "So will you?" he asked again.

"Yes, Hurley, I will," Libby said as she slipped the ring onto her finger, then pulled Hurley up to place a kiss on his lips.

"Anyone else?" Jack asked, eliciting laughter from the crowd that was still gathered around them. The newly engaged couples looked at one another happily.

"Ummm…." Sun's voice rose above the din. Everyone turned to look at her. She smiled shyly and reached for Jin's hand. "Jin and I are going to have a baby." Cheers broke out once again as everyone moved to hug the parents-to-be.

"Well, good goin' there, Daddio," Sawyer said happily as he slapped Jin on the back. Jin smiled broadly and hugged Sun close to him.

Several of the islanders had begun to head back towards their shelters, but the core group of friends remained by the church, all still laughing and celebrating and even beginning to throw around wedding plans. Sawyer walked over and slipped his arms around Ana Lucia's waist.

"You know, chica, all this mushy stuff has put me in a sentimental mood. I ain't getting down on my knees like those saps, but whatdaya say…you wanna marry me? Make an honest man of me?" His tone was light and playful, but Ana could see the seriousness in his eyes. She smiled – she, too, had some news and had been waiting for nearly a week to tell him. Jack, Kate, and the others all fell silent as they waited for her response.

"I guess I could do that," she replied, trying hard to keep her voice casual. "I mean, since I am carrying your baby and all…" she waited for the words to sink in, then laughed out loud at the look on his face.

"You mean…wait, are you shittin' me?" Sawyer asked in disbelief.

"You know, I never fully understood that expression, but no, I am not shitting you," Ana Lucia replied. "Get used to it, bud. You're going to be a daddy."

Sawyer was silent for another minute, then shot a smug grin in Jin's direction. "Guess you ain't the only one with some strong swimmers, pal," he said as he pulled Ana back to him. Jin laughed as Sun translated the remark.

"Daddio," he said carefully amid much laughter from the others.

-----------------------------

It was nearly an hour later when the friends began to disperse, the women planning the wedding – for it was already decided that they would marry _en masse_ – and the men just shaking their heads and saying "yes" to whatever was proposed.

Jack had his arm wrapped tightly around Kate's shoulders as they walked down the path towards the caves. _My fiancé_, he thought happily as the strolled. _Soon I can call her my wife_…he was jerked out of his thoughts when Kate stopped suddenly, her hands flying to her stomach.

"What, what is it?" he asked and Kate could hear the panic in his voice. "Are you okay?"

Kate looked at him in wonderment. "Jack, it moved," she said softly. "Our baby just moved." She pressed her hands harder against her abdomen and laughed out loud as she felt the movement again. "Jack, he's okay!" she cried happily, tears streaming down her cheeks. "He's in there and he's okay and he's moving and…oh, Jack!" She grabbed his hands and pressed them to where she had felt the sensations. After several seconds he, too, felt it – a small fluttering, just enough to know, just enough to say _hey, mom and dad, I'm okay in here._ For the second time that day, Jack fell to his knees in front of Kate and pressed his lips to her stomach.

"Hey there, little guy," he said softly, his lips close to her warm skin. "I guess you thought today was a special day, too." He smiled up at Kate. "I know I'll never forget it."

-----------------------------

**Okay, so this chapter was a little wild. I hope y'all found it smooth going – it felt a little disjointed to me at times. Writing five marriage proposals and trying to be original was certainly a challenge. **

**For those of you paying close attention – I threw in one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies (don't worry, I wasn't trying to steal it!) I remember bursting out laughing the first time I saw this movie in the theatre when a certain actress with the initials R.W. said this line and I still laugh every time I hear it. Bonus points to you if you can spot it and super-cool-person-with-good-taste-in-movies-points if you know the actress and the movie. **

**Please review and let me know what you think of how things are going. Only one more chapter to go (the wedding, of course) and then an epilogue, which has already been written and is set thirty years in the future.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Okay, I know, I know….I'm horrible at updates. But I have a fairly legitimate excuse this time – I had my baby on March 29 and my life has changed in ways I'd never even imagined. I mean, you can prepare and prepare for it and the reality of it never even comes close to what you had pictured.**

**We ended up with a boy and y'all are just going to flip when I tell you what we finally decided to name him. You ready? His name is Jack. The story behind it: okay, we hadn't really settled on a name when I was admitted to the hospital to be induced five days early (high blood pressure). I was admitted on a Wednesday afternoon and scheduled to be induced at 6:00 am Thursday morning (it didn't work and I wound up having a c-section Thursday evening), so we watched Lost that night in the hospital (it was the Nikki and Paulo episode). Anyway, I told my husband that I really liked the name Sawyer for a girl, but not so much for a boy. We started batting around other names (and I said I was not going to name my baby Hurley) and my husband said "what about Jack?" And it suddenly just sounded right. It went really well with what we had already decided was going to be his middle name (a family name) and with our last name. So there you go.**

**Anyway, so I've entered the world of mommyhood, which has left precious little time for much else. I've tried to keep up with reading my favorite stories on this site but haven't had any time to update my own. I had a little time this afternoon, so I decided to finish this up. I had always planned to end the main story with the wedding chapter and then conclude with an epilogue set thirty years into the future (which I wrote ages ago). Since I was pressed for time, I wasn't able to include everything I had wanted to put in the wedding chapter (I had originally planned to include bachelor/bachelorette parties and "honeymoons") but I think you'll be happy with what I've done and feel satisfied with how I've ended the story. **

**-----------------------------**

The wedding day had dawned clear and perfect. Kate, Shannon, Libby, Claire, and Ana-Lucia, each dressed in the nicest clothes the could find and accessorized with leis and wreaths made from colorful island flowers, gathered in front of the church where their fiancés waited inside.

Locke and Bernard had agreed to walk each of the women down the aisle. Locke and Ana-Lucia went first, followed by Bernard and Libby. After handing the women over to Sawyer and Hurley, respectively, the two men walked back up the narrow aisle and collected Claire and Shannon, who happily joined their husbands-to-be at the alter in front of Eko, who stood impressively before them with his bible in hand. Finally, after Bernard had retired to the wooden bench beside Rose (who was holding Aaron in her arms), Locke headed up the aisle one last time to escort Kate to meet Jack, who stood in the center of the couples gathered in the front of the small church. Kate took Jack's hand happily as Eko began the ceremony.

"Friends, we have gathered here today to witness the joining of these couples in holy matrimony," he boomed, flashing a rarely seen smile at the men and women standing before him. "Jack and Kate, Shannon and Sayid, Hurley and Libby, Charlie and Claire, and Sawyer and Ana-Lucia have elected to speak their own vows. Hurley?" he asked, nodding towards the large man, who hadn't taken his eyes off of his pretty blond fiancé since the moment she had entered the church on Bernard's arm.

"Oh, uh…Libby, you're an amazing person with such a big heart. You've never…you've always liked me for who I am, just the way that I am. I promise I'll spend the rest of our lives doing whatever I can to make you happy." Libby smiled broadly at Hurley and squeezed his hand tightly as Eko spoke again.

"Libby?"

"Hurley," Libby began, turning to face her intended, "you're the one with a big heart. You always go out of your way to make people happy and make people feel good about themselves. From the day I came to your camp you made me feel safe. When I'm sad or afraid, you're always there for me and I know in my heart that you always will be. I love you." She placed a small kiss on Hurley's cheek as Eko moved on to the next couple.

"Charlie?" he said, gesturing towards Claire.

Charlie cleared his throat. "Claire, I fell in love with you the moment I met you. I love your smile and your laugh. I love how much you love your son and I'm grateful everyday of my life that you've let me be a part of his life and of yours. I can't imagine a life without either one of you and I'll do my best to be the husband and father that you and Aaron deserve."

Eko nodded at Claire, who was brushing tears out of her eyes. "Claire?"

"Charlie, I swore early on that I could never be with anyone who wasn't willing to accept my son along with me. Not only have you accepted Aaron, but you've shown me hundreds of times over that you love him as much as I do." She took a breath. "I've loved you since I met you and I fall in love with you over and over again each time I see you with Aaron. I know there's no one else in the world that will be a better father to my son or a better husband to me."

Eko turned to face Shannon and Sayid. "Sayid?"

"Shannon, my life has not been a peaceful one," Sayid said as he faced Shannon. "I grew up in a war-torn country and, as I grew older, I was forced to be a part of the violence I had witnessed as a child. I've done things, horrible, unspeakable things that I thought would forever taint me in the eyes of others." He paused and took Shannon's hand. "You're the first person I've ever met who didn't turn away in disgust when I told you of my past. Moreover, you've finally allowed me the peace that I've been seeking since leaving Iraq. I promise to dedicate my life to allowing you that same peace and happiness." He raised Shannon's hand to his lips and kissed it reverently.

"Shannon?"

Shannon took a deep breath. "Sayid, you've already given me the peace and happiness that you spoke of. I...I've always felt like people only saw me as a silly, spoiled child that didn't deserve to be taken seriously. You never made me feel that way…you've always made me feel like I was worth something…that my opinion mattered. You've given me the confidence to be a part of things here and especially to be a part of what has turned into a relationship that I know will last forever. I love you," she finished.

Eko smiled and turned to Sawyer and Ana-Lucia.

"Sawyer?"

Sawyer shook his hair out of his eyes as he turned his head to grin at Ana-Lucia. "Ana, I ain't so good at the sentimental, ya know?" he began. "But hell – heck, I mean heck," he said hastily, grinning sheepishly at Eko, who shook his head in mock chastisement. "Anyway, I really couldn't come up with anything great to say on my own, so I'm just gonna steal one of Jack Nicholson's famous lines…'cause, let's face it, who's cooler than Nicholson? Anyway…Ana, you make me want to be a better man," he finished, eliciting laughter from the group.

Eko just shook his head again. "Ana-Lucia?"

"Sawyer, you're the most infuriating person I've ever known," Ana-Lucia began. "You're sarcastic and obnoxious and chauvinistic…well, I could go on for quite awhile." She took a breath. "But then I began to probe a little deeper and discovered that those are just surface traits…that underneath them you're smart and loyal and – sorry to destroy you're image, bud – and, well, sweet. While I have to admit I was slightly attracted to the obnoxious side of you, it was what was underneath that I fell in love with and continue to fall in love with every day. I know it's never going to be boring!" She smiled happily as Sawyer reached down to touch her stomach lightly.

"And last but not least…Kate?" Eko said.

Kate turned to face Jack. "Jack, I've spent my whole life running away from things. Meeting you…this is the first time I've ever felt like I was running towards something, not away from it. I love you – I've loved you since that first moment on the beach and I know that I always will."

"Jack?"

Jack smiled down at Kate and reached up to brush a stray tear off of her sun-kissed cheek. "Kate, I know it hasn't always been easy and I can't stand here and promise you that things won't get tough again. But I love you, Kate…I love you enough to withstand anything that life might throw our way. I promised you once that you'd never have to be alone or afraid again and I'll reaffirm that promise today. I'll always be right here beside you…beside both of you," he added, his hand falling down to caress her stomach and the child growing inside. Kate smiled as the tears continued to well in her eyes.

"Now, then," Eko said, taking over the ceremony once again. "Charlie and Libby have prepared a song for us." He gestured towards the two, who left their respective partners and moved to stand in front of the group, Charlie quickly retrieving his guitar from the bench beside Rose and Bernard.

Charlie and Libby had debated endlessly over a song choice before Libby remembered the words to a Richard Marx and Donna Lewis song she had heard on the animated version of _Anastasia_ several years before. After hearing the lyrics, Charlie agreed that the song certainly suited their circumstances.

Charlie strummed his guitar softly as Libby began to sing.

_We were strangers starting out on a journey  
Never dreaming what we'd have to go through  
Now here we are and I'm suddenly standing  
At the beginning with you_

No one told me I was going to find you  
Unexpected what you did to my heart  
When I lost hope you were there to remind me  
This is the start

Life is a road and I want to keep going  
Love is a river I wanna keep flowing  
Life is a road  
Now and forever  
Wonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turning  
I'll be there when the storm is through  
In the end I wanna be standing  
At the beginning with you

We were strangers on a crazy adventure  
Never dreaming how our dreams would come true  
Now here we stand unafraid of the future  
At the beginning with you

Life is a road and I want to keep going  
Love is a river I wanna keep flowing  
Life is a road  
Now and forever  
Wonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turning  
I'll be there when the storm is through  
In the end I wanna be standing  
At the beginning with you

I knew there was somebody somewhere  
Like me alone in the dark  
Now I know my dream will live on  
I've been waiting so long  
Nothing's gonna tear us apart

Life is a road and I want to keep going  
Love is a river I wanna keep flowing  
Life is a road  
Now and forever  
Wonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turning  
I'll be there when the storm is through  
In the end I wanna be standing  
At the beginning with you  


More than one pair of eyes had filled with tears by the time Charlie had strummed the last note as everyone realized the significance of the song lyrics. It was indeed a new beginning.


	23. Epilogue Chart

**NOTE: I made this chart to go along with the epilogue since things tend to get confusing when all the children of the original survivors are thrown in. The number in parentheses after each name is that character's age at the time of the epilogue, which is set thirty years in the future. Also, I know there have been several fics written that include children, so if by any chance I have used a name that was used in another fic, rest assured that it is unintentional. Most of the names I have come up with for the children and grandchildren are obvious family names, so it's not like I just pulled them out of the air.**

**Jack (63) and Kate (55) Shephard**

- Christian Jack Shephard (Jack Jr.) (30) – married Cassidy Anne Ford (30) (daughter of Sawyer and Ana-Lucia)

- One child, Katherine Ford Shephard (3)

- Austen Diane Shephard (28) – married Adam Rutherford Jarrah (28) (son of Shannon and Sayid)

- Two children, James Shephard Jarrah (2) and Gracie Shannon Jarrah (6 months)

- Jacob Samuel Shephard (25)

**James "Sawyer" (65) and Ana-Lucia (deceased) Ford**

- Cassidy Anne Ford (30) – married Christian Jack Shephard (30) (son of Jack and Kate)

- One child, Katherine Ford Shephard (3)

- Abigail Cortez Ford (24)

**Sun (53) and Jin (55) Kwon**

- Mia Katherine Kwon (30) – married Aaron Littleton Pace (31) (son of Claire and Charlie)

- One child, Megan Claire Pace (5)

- Lee Michael Kwon (28)

**Claire (50) and Charlie (55) Pace**

- Aaron Littleton Pace (32) – married Mia Katherine Kwon (31) (daughter of Sun and Jin)

- One child, Megan Claire Pace (5)

- Liam Charles Pace (30) – married Isabella Elizabeth Reyes (29) (daughter of Hurley and Libby)

- One child, Jack Hugo Pace (1)

- Julia Rose Pace (23)

**Hurley (deceased) and Libby (53) Reyes**

- Tito John Reyes (30)

- Isabella Elizabeth Reyes (29) – married Liam Charles Pace (30) (son of Claire and Charlie)

- One child, Jack Hugo Pace (1)

**Shannon (49) and Sayid (57) Jarrah**

- Nadia Ann Jarrah (31)

- Adam Rutherford Jarrah (28) – married Austen Diane Shephard (28)

- Two children, James Shephard Jarrah (2) and Gracie Shannon Jarrah (six months)

**Boone (51) and Jade (51) Carlyle**

- Sabrina Shannon Carlyle (28)

**Michael Dawson (62) and Juliet (61) Burke**

- Walt Dawson (40) – married Alex Smith (39) (one of the plague survivors, parents unknown)

- Two children, Susan Grace Dawson (14) and Brian Michael Dawson (11)

Christina Burke Dawson (28)


	24. Epilogue

**Note: I've posted three chapters at once. Make sure you read Chapter 22, which is the end of the main story, before you read the epilogue. I've also included a chart (Chapter 23), which lists the couples on the island and their familes.**

**EPILOGUE**

**Thirty Years Later**

**2035 A.D.**

Jack Shephard awoke, as he always did, with the first rays of sunlight just beginning to paint the island a dusky rose. He swung off of the bed and shivered slightly as his feet made contact with the cool floor, reaching for his boxers and jeans. He dressed quietly, careful not to wake his wife, who was sleeping peacefully in the warm space on the bed that he'd just vacated.

_I guess she deserves her sleep_, he though wryly, a grin spreading across his face as he watched her sleep. After all, he'd kept her up half the night. _Not bad for a couple of geriatrics_, he chuckled as he left the bedroom.

Jack made his way to the tiny kitchen, quickly boiling water for his morning coffee. Cup in hand, he walked out onto the small porch, leaning over to rest his forearms on the porch railing as he sipped from his cup and surveyed the small community that was his home.

-----------------------------

Rescue had never come to the survivors of Flight 815. After several months of hopefully scanning the skies and the seas, most of them had reluctantly begun building more permanent structures on the beach, the reality of their situation finally hitting home. The bonds between the couples that had formed had only strengthened with time and Eko found himself performing numerous marriage ceremonies. News of pregnancies flowed up and down the beach and Jack began performing more obstetrics than surgeries.

About a year after the crash, a man had stumbled out of the jungle frantically asking for a doctor. After the initial shock had worn off, the man had introduced himself as Benjamin Linus, the leader of a group of people – the remnants of a scientific experiment in utopian living – living in a small community about a mile from the beach camp. A mysterious plague had overtaken their community, Benjamin explained, and their doctor had succumbed to the disease the previous day.

Jack went willingly with Benjamin but, despite his efforts, was unable to save the majority of the community. Only four people survived – a couple in their early forties named Colleen and Picket, a woman named Juliet, who was in her early thirties, and a girl about Walt's age named Alex.

Jack returned to the beach camp and told his fellow survivors wonderful stories of the community Benjamin Linus and his friends had created. They had real houses, complete with electricity from massive generators. Their gardens sprawled for acres, providing enough food for hundreds. Wild game was abound in the surrounding woods and a huge smokehouse preserved enough meat to last for two years in the event of a shortage. They had building materials and tools and basically everything else that anyone could possibly need – or want, even – to survive on the island.

Picket had returned with Jack and confirmed his story. Then he told the survivors that they were welcome to join the community and move into the houses vacated by those who had not survived the plague.

Jack and Kate, Charlie and Claire, Sawyer and Ana Lucia, Sun and Jin, and Hurley and Libby all moved to the new community. Several others – Sayid and Shannon, Eko, Locke, Boone and Jude, and Rose and Bernard – chose to remain on the beach, using the materials from the Others' stash to build real houses in the beach camp. Michael and Walt initially chose to stay on the beach, but as a relationship formed between Michael and Juliet, they began spending more and more time at her house and eventually moved in.

-----------------------------

That had been almost thirty years ago, Jack realized as he drained his coffee cup and stood, preparing himself for his morning rounds. Although the second generation of castaways – the offspring of the survivors – had begun to take responsibility for the daily life of their island home, Jack, even at age sixty-three, was still considered the leader. He still made his daily rounds, checking on everyone's health and general well being.

Jack jogged down his porch stairs, still in remarkable shape for a man his age. He waved at Claire, who lived in the house just next door to his, and she returned the wave with a smile. She was sitting in a rocking chair that Locke had made her when her second child, Liam, was born, holding her grandson, Hugo, who was the son of Liam and his wife, Isabella, who was Hurley and Libby's oldest daughter. Her other grandchild, Megan, the daughter of Aaron and his wife, Mia, who was Sun and Jin's oldest daughter, sat at her feet.

Charlie, still boyish looking even at fifty-five, stepped onto the porch just as Jack passed the house, a cup of tea for Claire in his hands. He handed her the mug and took the baby from her, singing a melody of Driveshaft songs as he danced around with him. Jack grinned and moved on.

Sun and Jin's house was next, but he knew that neither would be home at the moment. Both rose well before the sun each morning, Sun to work in the garden, which she had vastly enlarged over the years, and Jin to walk the mile to the beach where he and his son, Lee, fished each morning until the tide came in.

Sawyer was, as usual, perched on the steps of his house, waiting for Jack. Against all odds, the pair had become close friends over the years and Jack greatly enjoyed the other man's company as he made his rounds. Sawyer stood when he saw Jack coming, bending to place a quick kiss on Libby's forehead as he left.

It was still awkward at times to see Sawyer and Libby together, Jack thought as he waited for Sawyer to catch up. After Ana-Lucia's death during the birth of her last child, Abigail, twenty-four years ago, Sawyer had fallen apart, only emerging from his deep depression by Jack's forcefully reminding him that he had two children to take care of and he could honor his deceased wife by raising the two children she had loved so much the best he could.

Libby, who had been Ana-Lucia's closest friend, had helped Sawyer greatly as the children grew. He, in turn, had comforted her when Hurley had died about ten years after Ana-Lucia. They had grown close, very close, despite the objections of their children, who felt that Sawyer and Libby were disrespecting their dead spouses with their relationship. Gradually, though, everyone came to accept the fact that Sawyer and Libby made one another happy and able to forget the pain they had both endured. They never married out of respect for their children and for Ana-Lucia and Hurley, but they had been virtually inseparable for many years now.

Jack and Sawyer exchanged greetings - and a few insults, naturally - as they walked over to the building that was designated the infirmary. Inside, Jack's son, Christian, who was so much like his father that most of the islanders just called him "Jack Jr." most of the time, was taking an inventory of the medical supplies while his wife, Cassidy, who was Sawyer and Ana-Lucia's oldest daughter, was changing the sheets on the infirmary's three beds. Jack Jr. and Cassidy's three-year-old daughter, Katherine, played with her doll on the floor beside her father's desk.

Jack, knowing how important it was for a doctor to be present on the island and also knowing that he wouldn't live forever, had been training his son in medicine since he was ten years old. Cassidy, at her own insistence, began training with them when she was fifteen, around the same time that romance began to blossom between her and Jack Jr. By the time Katherine was born, both Jack Jr. and Cassidy had proven themselves competent in virtually every area of medicine that Jack could think to teach them and he had turned over the day-to-day operations of the infirmary to them.

"Hey sweetie-pie," Jack said, sweeping his granddaughter off the floor and into his arms as he and Sawyer strolled into the infirmary. Katherine squealed in delight and buried her face in Jack's neck.

"Hi, dad," Cassidy said, coming over to Sawyer and kissing him on the cheek. Sawyer kissed her back before snatching Katherine from Jack's arms and covering her stomach in raspberries as she screamed with laughter.

"Anything new to report?" Jack asked his son as he picked up the logs from the day before. Glancing over then, he noted that the cast had been removed from Brian Dawson's (who was Walt and Alex's eleven-year-old son) arm and that the break had healed cleanly and that the infection that had set into Shannon's arm after a nasty splinter had lodged there was quickly fading.

"Nope," Jack Jr. said, shutting the doors to the main medicine cabinet and snapping the lock into place. "I told Aunt Shannon to come back today for a last round of antibiotics. Uncle Charlie's been having headaches, which I'm pretty sure are due to poor eyesight. I've got him trying on some different pairs of glasses. Hopefully one will be the right prescription. Isabella's about to burst – the baby has dropped, so she'll be delivering shortly, " he said, referring to Hurley and Libby's daughter, who was married to Claire and Charlie's youngest son, Liam, and was expecting her second baby any day now. "Oh, and here're Locke's pills," he added, taking a vial from his pocket and handing them to Jack. "I know his arthritis was bothering him yesterday."

Jack took the pills and pocketed them. "Thanks, son," he said, patting Jack Jr. on the back. "Looks like you've got everything under control." He took Katherine from Sawyer once again and placed kisses all over her face before leaving the infirmary.

As they walked away, Jack turned to Sawyer. "You gonna come to the beach with me?" he asked, gesturing towards the path that was the route between the two communities.

Sawyer shrugged. "Why not?" They started off down the path, stopping briefly to chat with Michael and Juliet, who were picking fruit with their daughter, Christina.

Although neither Jack nor Sawyer was able to move quite as fast as they could when they first began making this trip between the village and the beach, they soon found themselves within hearing distance of the pounding waves.

Emerging onto the beach, they waved at Jin, who was up to his knees in the surf, his hands in the act of casting a huge net. He nodded in acknowledgement before turning back to the task at hand.

Shannon and Sayid were walking along the shoreline a half-mile or so away from the beach camp, Jack noted, his hand shading his eyes from the glaring morning sun. Their daughter Nadia, who – thankfully – had inherited Sayid's dark Middle Eastern hair and skin, was walking beside her mother, chatting animatedly about something and gesturing wildly with her hands as she so often did. Jack smiled when he saw his other grandchildren, the children of his daughter Austen and her husband, Adam, who was Shannon and Sayid's youngest, with them. James, who was two, was perched on Sayid's shoulders and squealing with delight, while Shannon held little Gracie, who was just six months old, in her arms.

Shannon and Sayid had changed very little in the years they'd spent on the island. Sayid wore his hair shorter now and the once-raven black tresses were now threaded with gray. Shannon was as beautiful as ever, looking young enough to be Gracie's mother rather than her grandmother. Her hair was still golden thanks to the lemon juice that she still sprinkled on her head every time she was out in the sun. They saw Jack and Sawyer and waved cheerfully as they continued their walk.

Locke and Eko were, as usual, sitting in rocking chairs on the porch of the church that had, over the years, grown enormously under Eko's guidance. The church had seen numerous weddings and baptisms and funerals and would continue to thrive, Jack knew, even after Eko was gone, since Eko was currently training Tito, Hurley and Libby's son, in the priesthood.

Neither Locke nor Eko ever married, both perennial bachelors. They lived in side-by-side huts, very simple, very plain huts, and found great pleasure in their daily spiritual debates. All of the island children adored them and both men took great care in passing on their knowledge of the island and all its mysteries to the succeeding generations. Locke still enjoyed his woodworking and every newly wedded couple and every new mother on the island received a beautiful hand-carved piece of furniture from him.

Eko was as impassive as ever. His physical appearance had changed very little over the years; in fact, he looked just as he did the day the plane had crashed on the island. To those who did not know, he could be thirty or ninety, although Jack knew that he was somewhere around seventy.

Locke, on the other hand, was not so lucky. Nearing eighty now, his eyesight was failing and Jack knew that his arthritis was very painful for him.

Jack and Sawyer perched on the church steps and chatted with the two older men for several minutes. Although John could no longer move around in the jungle as he once had, he still liked to hear the daily updates and Jack had no problem indulging him.

Sawyer opted to sit with Locke and Eko while Jack finished up on the beach. Jack strode a few hundred yards down from the church to the house occupied once occupied by Rose and Bernard. Rose lived there alone now, Bernard having passed away two years ago. Everyone thought that Rose would follow shortly after, but she proved more resilient than anyone gave her credit for. Her health was failing now, though, and Jack knew it wouldn't be long before she joined her husband – a day she claimed she was awaiting anxiously.

Rose was napping peacefully, so Jack left her alone, reminding himself to tell Jack Jr. to check on her later that afternoon. Leaving her porch, he spotted Boone and Jade Carlyle walking along the sandy beach in front of their house and jogged toward them. He and Kate had heard rumors that their son Jacob had been seeing Boone and Jade's daughter Sabrina recently and Kate had been bugging him to get the scoop from Boone.

After several minutes of conversation, Jack left the couple with a smile on his face. Jacob had indeed been seeing Sabrina – quite frequently, actually, according to Jade, who had always been Jacob's favorite babysitter when he was a young child. Jade was simply thrilled with the relationship and Jack knew Kate would be, too. She worried about her youngest child, who was often quite withdrawn and moody. Now Jack could ease her concerns.

Strolling back to the church, Jack managed to drag Sawyer away from Locke and Eko just as the three were about to engage in a heated fate-versus-coincidence debate. The two men walked back to their village, stopping several times to chat with friends they met along the trail.

Jack and Sawyer parted ways at the edge of the village. Jack turned towards his own house, smiling when he saw his beautiful wife sitting in her rocker, mug of tea in hand, waiting for him as she did each morning. As he walked towards her his mind drifted back to the first time he'd seen her…

_The pain had become almost unbearable. Jack had been able to ignore it for awhile as he raced around the beach, pulling bodies away from the burning fuselage and administering care to those who needed it. He'd finally had to escape, to find somewhere quiet where he could try to deal with his wound before he could go back and help the others._

_He'd snatched a sewing kit from some abandoned luggage and made his way to a deserted part of the beach. He'd fallen to his knees and removed his jacket and shirt, wincing in pain as he'd pulled the material away from his wound._

_Then he saw her. Despite her windblown appearance and the dazed look in her eyes, he knew she was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen._

And she still was, Jack thought as he bounded up the steps to where she sat waiting. Unlike many of the other women on the island, Shannon excluded, who had taken to wearing their hair short as the gray began to set in, Kate still wore hers long. The combination of her dark curls and the silver threads that were now laced through them gave her an exotic appearance, one Jack liked very much.

The intense tropical sun that they'd lived under for more than thirty years now had only deepened the sprinkling of freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks. She'd passed them along to each of their children and, to Sawyer's delight, their mutual grandchild, Katherine, had inherited them as well. Sawyer called Katherine Mini-Freckles.

Kate stood as Jack reached the top step, her smile wide and happy.

"Why didn't you wake me up this morning?" she asked, her arms going around his neck.

Jack nuzzled her neck. "I thought you needed some sleep after last night," he teased.

Kate laughed and playfully shoved him away. "I swear Sun's been slipping you some natural form of Viagra or something," she said, picking up her mug and stepping into the house. Jack followed. "I mean, it's just not normal for an old man to have as much stamina as you do!"

Jack puffed his chest out at her words. "Well, I guess not all old men have an incredibly hot wife to get them going like I do," he returned, eliciting another giggle from Kate. "I'd be glad to give you a repeat performance tonight. Hey, come here," he added, grabbing her by one arm as she moved to drop her cup into the kitchen sink. She gave in, allowing him to pull her body close to his, his arms wrapped around her waist, hers around his neck. "Do you know what today is, Mrs. Shephard?"

Kate glanced at the calendar on her refrigerator door. "Yeah, it's September 22 – oh," she said, the realization hitting her at once. She turned back and smiled at her husband. "Happy anniversary, Dr. Shephard," she said, reaching behind is head to pull his lips to hers.

"Happy anniversary," Jack said when they finally broke apart. "I can't believe it's been thirty-one years since the first time I saw you on the beach. I thought that that was going to be the worst day of my life…instead, it turned out to be the best. Well, the best up to that point, I guess. You've given me so many other good days since then that I could never pick just one 'best day.'"

Kate smiled again. "It has been a good life, hasn't it? I never thought…never thought it was going to be this good." She paused, then looked up at him. "_You've_ made it this good." She gently fingered the small silver medallion he still wore on a leather cord around his neck. Just as he'd promised her that night so many years ago, he'd never taken it off.

Jack kissed her again before releasing her. "Hey, go put on your hiking boots," he said, opening the fridge and pulling out sandwich fixings.

"Why? Where're we going?" Kate asked, knowing full well that her husband wasn't going to tell her anything.

"Surprise," Jack said slyly, winking at her before turning back to the picnic lunch he was preparing.

-----------------------------

"Almost there," Jack said, pushing aside a heavy branch to let Kate pass through. They had been walking for about half an hour, reminiscing about the day of the crash and all that had happened since.

"The caves!" Kate exclaimed, looking around her. Jack smiled. "I haven't been back here in ages!"

"Yeah, nobody really comes here much anymore," Jack told her, slipping the backpack off his shoulders and dropping it onto a large, flat rock by the waterfall that had supplied their drinking water during their first year on the island.

Kate was busy poking around in the cave that she had once shared with Jack. "Jack, look, our airplane-cushion bed is still here!" she exclaimed happily. She grinned wickedly at her husband. "I remember the night that Christian was conceived on that bed," she added.

Jack chuckled. "I remember that night, too," he admitted. "The scratches you left on my back didn't heal for a week. I forgot about them the next day and took my shirt off to go swimming – man, Sawyer, Hurley, and Michael ragged me for weeks." They laughed together and Kate moved to stand beside Jack, who was silhouetted in the cave's opening. His arms went around her naturally, easily, and they swayed lightly.

"Sing to me," Kate whispered, laying her cheek against Jack's broad chest. Jack rested his chin on top of her head and complied, knowing instinctively what song she wanted to hear.

_Is it getting better  
Or do you feel the same  
Will it make it easier on you now  
You got someone to blame  
You say..._

One love  
One life  
When it's one need  
In the night  
One love  
We get to share it  
Leaves you baby if you  
Don't care for it

Did I disappoint you  
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth  
You act like you never had love  
And you want me to go without  
Well it's...

Too late  
Tonight  
To drag the past out into the light  
We're one, but we're not the same  
We get to  
Carry each other  
Carry each other  
One...  


And they danced, just as they had that night so many years ago out by the caves that had been their first home… when fate had brought them together on an island somewhere off the coast of nowhere.


End file.
